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{{Use Indian English|date=April 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
[[File:One Stop Centre Lucknow receiving the Nari Shakti Puraskar for 2018.jpg|thumb|The One Stop Centre in Lucknow (funded by Nirbhaya) gained an award on [[International Women's Day]] 2019]]
'''Nirbhaya Fund''' was a [[Indian rupee|₹]]1000 [[crore]] corpus announced by [[Government of India]] in its [[2013 Union budget of India|2013 Union Budget]], in the aftermath of the [[2012 Delhi gang rape and murder|2012 Delhi gang rape]]. The Finance Minister [[P. Chidambaram]] announced the fund to support initiatives protecting the dignity and ensuring safety of women in India. Nirbhaya ({{Translation|fearless}}) was the pseudonym given to the 2012 Delhi gang rape victim. The [[Ministry of Women and Child Development]] and several other ministries decided the application of the fund. One of its uses was to open '''One Stop Centers''' to support women who are victims of violence.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-11 |title=Projects under Nirbhaya Fund |url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1797692 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211123939/https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1797692 |archive-date=2022-02-11 |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=[[Press Information Bureau]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Framework for Nirbhaya Fund |url=https://wcd.nic.in/sites/default/files/Approved%20framework%20for%20Nirbhaya%20Fund_0.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826224719/http://www.wcd.nic.in/sites/default/files/Approved%20framework%20for%20Nirbhaya%20Fund_0.pdf |archive-date=2018-08-26 |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=[[Ministry of Women and Child Development]]}}</ref>

== History ==

Nirbhaya Fund was announced by the Finance Minister in his 2013 budget speech, with Government contribution of Rs. 1000 crores for empowerment, safety and security of women and girl children.<ref>{{cite press release | url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=95115 | title=Nirbhaya Fund | date=26 April 2013 | access-date=30 March 2014}}</ref> The fund is administered by [[Ministry of Finance (India)#Department of Economic Affairs|Department of Economic Affairs]] of the [[Ministry of Finance (India)|finance ministry]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=103324 | title=Nirbhaya Fund | date=13 December 2013 | access-date=30 March 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/uttar-pradesh-centre-approves-rs-194-44-crore-safe-city-project-for-lucknow-5429404/|title=Uttar Pradesh: Centre approves Rs 194.44 crore Safe City Project for Lucknow|date=1 November 2018}}</ref>

== Use of funds ==
Various ministries proposed projects to use this fund to enhance the safety and security of women. Some of the ministries which submitted proposals were the Ministry of Information Technology, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Home Affairs. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) approved a Safe City project for Lucknow at a total cost of Rs. 194.44 crore under the
Nirbhaya Fund Scheme.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=101789 | title=Three Proposals of Different Ministries Approved in-Principle by the Ministry of Finance to Utilise the Resources in the Nirbhaya Fund to Enhance the Safety and Security of Women in India | date=16 December 2013 | access-date=30 March 2014}}</ref>
[[File:One Stop Centre Raipur awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar for 2017.jpg|left|thumb|The ''One Stop Centre'' in [[Raipur]] was awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar for 2017]]

In November 2013, the [[Ministry of Urban Development (India)|Ministry of Urban Development]] asked states to propose and implement new plans that can be financed through the Nirbhaya Fund. The ministry has also notified States and Union Territories who would not get their quotas of new buses under the [[Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission]] if they fail to put in place steps to make public transport system safe for women.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/no-new-buses-if-there-is-no-safety-for-women-centre/article5384011.ece|title=No new buses if there is no safety for women: Centre|first=Smriti Kak|last=Ramachandran|date=24 November 2013|newspaper=The Hindu}}</ref><ref name="Nirbhaya Fund">{{cite news|title=Nirbhaya Fund of Rs 1,000 crore for women's safety announced|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_nirbhaya-fund-of-rs1000-crore-for-women-s-safety-announced_1805651|access-date=1 March 2013|newspaper=Daily News and Analysis|date=28 February 2013}}</ref><ref name="Budget 2013 announces">{{cite news|title=Budget 2013 announces Nirbhaya Fund for women's safety|url=http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/budget-2013-announces-nirbhaya-fund-for-women-safety/1/192984.html|access-date=1 March 2013|newspaper=business today.|date=1 March 2013}}</ref>

The fund was used to create "One Step Centres" or "Sakhi" across the country where women who were victim's of violence could find support.<ref name=sakhi>{{Cite web|date=2018-12-06|title=One Stop Centre Scheme – M.I.C.S. IAS LUCKNOW|url=https://www.micsias.in/2018/12/06/one-stop-centre-scheme/|access-date=2021-01-11|website=M.I.C.S. IAS LUCKNOW|language=en-US}}</ref> The One Stop Centres were initially set up with one proposed for every Indian state after a recommendation in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|title=One Stop Centre Scheme|url=https://wcd.nic.in/sites/default/files/ProposalforOneStopCentre17.3.2015.pdf|website=Ministry of Women and Child Development}}</ref> The One Stop Centre in Raipur and the one in Lucknow (both funded by Nirbhaya) gained [[Nari Shakti Puraskar]] awards on [[International Women's Day]] in 2018 and 2019 respectively for their work in empowering women.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nari Shakti Puraskar – Gallery|url=http://narishaktipuraskar.wcd.gov.in/gallery|access-date=2021-01-11|website=narishaktipuraskar.wcd.gov.in}}</ref>

== Criticism ==
The government was criticized for not using the fund effectively, with long delays and inadequate implementation of projects.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dubbudu |first=Rakesh |date=2015-06-30 |title=All Talk and Little Action: The Sorry State of ‘Nirbhaya Fund’ |url=https://www.thequint.com/news/india/all-talk-and-little-action-the-sorry-state-of-nirbhaya-fund |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=TheQuint |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ghosh |first=Asmita |date=2016-12-28 |title=It's Been 4 Years - What Has The Nirbhaya Fund Done So Far? |url=https://feminisminindia.com/2016/12/29/what-nirbhaya-fund-done-four-years/ |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=Feminism in India |language=en-GB}}</ref>

The One Stop Center scheme, initially under the ‘Mission for Protection and Empowerment for Women’, was subsumed with other schemes, under a new programme, ‘Sambal’ of ‘Mission Shakti’. Of the total allocated amount of Rs 587 crore for Sambal in 2021–22, Rs 183 crore, or roughly around 31%, has been used in that particular year. As a result, the allocation for the scheme was reduced to Rs 562 crore in subsequent years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What Government Expenditure Tells Us About Official Attitudes Towards Women’s Safety |url=https://thewire.in/women/what-government-expenditure-tells-us-about-official-attitudes-towards-womens-safety |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=The Wire |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Nari Shakti Puraskar}}

[[Category:Violence against women in India]]
[[Category:Women's rights in India]]
[[Category:Government schemes in India]]
[[Category:2013 establishments in India]]

Nirbhaya Fund - Revision history

LarhondaG28: added data