First crisis centre for rape victims may come up next month

New Delhi, April 12, 2015: The first of the much-talked about intervention centres for rape victims may finally see the light of the day next month - almost five months after the planned date - with its inauguration nearly a year after the Narendra Modi government came to power. The original plan for the centres, envisaged by the women and child development ministry, has been scaled down with these slated to come up in only 36 places to be selected by the states instead of the over 600 initially thought of. "Plans are afoot to set up the first such centre next month," a top ministry official told IANS. Official sources said that the ministry was keen that Prime Minister Modi inaugurates the centre. The National Democratic Alliance government will complete a year in office on May 26. The sources said that the first centre was likely to come up in Haryana as the land had been identified there. "No final decision has been taken, but there is a strong possibility that the centre will come up in Haryana," an official said. Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi had promised the centres immediately after assuming charge last year. The first centre was supposed to come up by last December. The project has apparently faltered either due to shortage of funds or due to lack of coordination with state governments, which are supposed to provide the land. The original plan mooted last June envisaged a centre in every district but this was later scaled down to just one centre in each state or union territory.