Union Budget 2013: No fear, women can now bank on Nirbhaya fund

Seeking to dispel the dark shadows of anti-government sentiment in the aftermath of the Nirbhaya incident, the government sought to woo women by stepping up allocations to Rs 8,500 crore for women-specific schemes and announcing a slew of measures, including an all-women bank and a Rs 1,000 crore initiative, called the Nirbhaya fund, for empowerment.
In a step towards financial inclusion, the finance minister announced the country's first women's bank with Rs 1,000 crore as initial capital to support women's self-help groups and livelihood. HSBC's India head Naina Lal Kidwai described it as a positive measure but added that the announcement was made with the intention of playing to the gallery.
The ministry for women and child development has been given an additional Rs 200 crore that is likely to support schemes like a one-stop crisis centre, a national helpline and effective implementation of the domestic violence act and discrimination at work place act.
Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability executive director Subrat Das said initiatives like an all-women's bank and Nirbhaya fund were "piecemeal" efforts. "There is a need to reorient the fiscal policy that continues to lack in gender responsiveness," he said, adding while spending on women and children had increased to Rs 27,248 crore in 2013-2014 compared to Rs 18,878.5 crore last year, it still constituted a measly 5.8% of the total Budget.
Bharti Ali of HAQ for Child Rights said the expansion of National Nutrition Mission-—meant to tackle maternal and child malnutrition through a multi-sectoral programme in 200 high burden districts—-had been staggered to next year. The mission has been allocated Rs 300 crore for this fiscal.
Why TOI named rape victim Nirbhaya
(From our December 23 editions)
"Rape victims are not identified - and rightly so - because their privacy needs to be fiercely protected. But the 23-yearold victim in this case is no longer just a victim - she has come to symbolize rare courage, an inspiration for a movement demanding respect for women and much more. Such a symbol deserves a name. We will henceforth call her NIRBHAYA (the Fearless One)."
Union Budget 2013 > Budget news 2013 > Economic Survey