·PIB

Government gives highest priority to safety and security of women and girls and has taken various steps to support and supplement the efforts of the States / UTs in ensuring their safety

In this note
  1. At a Glance
  2. Why in the News
  3. Background & Evolution
  4. Core Static Facts
  5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis
  6. Recent Developments (12–18 months)
  7. Prelims Hooks
  8. Mains Relevance
  9. Related Topics to Study Next
  10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

1. At a Glance

  • Women safety is governed by an umbrella legal-institutional architecture led by Ministry of Women & Child Development (MoWCD) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), with primary execution by States/UTs since "Police" and "Public Order" are State subjects under Seventh Schedule, List II of the Constitution [1].
  • Key umbrella vehicle: Mission Shakti (2021-22 to 2025-26) with sub-schemes Sambal (safety) and Samarthya (empowerment) [2].
  • Funding backbone: Nirbhaya Fund (non-lapsable corpus) administered by Ministry of Finance, Dept. of Economic Affairs [2].
  • High examinability: features in GS-I (society), GS-II (governance, vulnerable sections), and GS-III (internal security/cybercrime).

2. Why in the News

  • PIB release dated 04 February 2026 by MoWCD reiterated comprehensive legal-institutional framework for prevention of acid attacks, punishment, protection and rehabilitation of survivors, in coordination with States/UTs [1].
  • Continued rollout under Mission Shakti and extension of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSC) Scheme up to 31 March 2026 [3].

3. Background & Evolution

  • 2012 Nirbhaya case (Delhi) → Justice J.S. Verma Committee (2013) → Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013 introducing IPC Sections 326A & 326B (acid attack offences) [1].
  • 2013: Nirbhaya Fund created in Union Budget with ₹1,000 cr corpus.
  • 01 April 2015: One Stop Centres (OSC) and Women Helpline (WHL-181) operationalised under Nirbhaya Fund [2].
  • October 2019: Centrally Sponsored Scheme for 1,023 FTSCs launched post-Hyderabad outrage [3].
  • 2021: Mission Shakti notified as umbrella scheme for 15th Finance Commission cycle [2].
  • 2023–24: Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 replaced IPC — acid attack provisions retained as BNS Sections 124(1) & 124(2) (equivalent to IPC 326A/326B).

4. Core Static Facts

  • Nodal ministry (schemes): Ministry of Women & Child Development; (law & order): MHA [1][2].
  • Mission Shakti period: 2021-22 to 2025-26 [2].
  • Sub-schemes: Sambal = OSC + WHL-181 + Beti Bachao Beti Padhao + Nari Adalat (new component for ADR) [2].
  • Samarthya components: Shakti Sadan, Sakhi Niwas, Palna (creches), PMMVY, Hub for Empowerment of Women.
  • OSC ("Sakhi Centres"): integrated services — police facilitation, medical aid, legal counselling, psycho-social aid, temporary shelter up to 5 days [2].
  • Nirbhaya Fund allocation up to FY 2023-24: ₹7,212.85 crore [2].
  • OSC beneficiaries (01 Apr 2015 – 24 May 2024): >9.19 lakh women; WHL-181 calls: >1.53 crore; assisted: >76.02 lakh [2].
  • FTSCs functional (31 Dec 2024): 747, including 406 exclusive POCSO (e-POCSO) courts across 30 States/UTs [3].
  • FTSC disposals: ~3,00,000 rape/POCSO cases; productivity 9.51 cases/court/month vs 3.26 in regular courts [3].
  • Constitutional anchor: Articles 14, 15(3), 21, 39, 42, 51A(e); "Police" & "Public Order" — Schedule VII, List II [1].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

  • Legal/Constitutional: BNS 2023 retains acid-attack provisions (formerly IPC 326A/326B); POCSO Act 2012; PWDV Act 2005; Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013. Schedule VII places primary responsibility on States [1].
  • Administrative/Federal: Centre supplements State efforts via CSS; bottlenecks include uneven OSC roll-out, vacant FTSC posts, low Nirbhaya Fund utilisation by some States.
  • Social: Targets gender-based violence, child marriage, trafficking, workplace harassment; intersects with SDG-5.
  • Scientific/Tech: MHA portals — CCTNS, Cybercrime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in), CCPWC scheme, Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO), National Database of Sexual Offenders (NDSO) maintained by NCRB.
  • Ethical/Governance: Survivor-centric rehabilitation, dignity (Art. 21), restitution via Victim Compensation Schemes under CrPC 357A / BNSS Section 396.

6. Recent Developments (12–18 months)

  • 04 Feb 2026: MoWCD reiterates acid-attack framework, State responsibility [1].
  • 31 Dec 2024: 747 FTSCs operational; scheme extended to 31 Mar 2026, target 790 courts [3].
  • 2024: BNS, BNSS, BSA replace IPC, CrPC, Evidence Act (effective 1 July 2024).
  • 2024-25: Nirbhaya Fund cumulative allocation crosses ₹7,200 cr [2].

7. Prelims Hooks

  • Mission Shakti sub-schemes: Sambal (safety) & Samarthya (empowerment) [2].
  • Nari Adalat = new ADR component under Sambal [2].
  • Women Helpline number: 181 [2].
  • OSC temporary shelter: up to 5 days [2].
  • Nirbhaya Fund administered by DEA, Ministry of Finance, not MoWCD.
  • FTSC scheme launched: October 2019 [3].
  • Sanctioned FTSCs: 1,023; functional (Dec 2024): 747 [3].
  • Exclusive POCSO courts within FTSCs: 406 [3].
  • Acid attack offences under BNS Sections 124(1) & 124(2) (earlier IPC 326A/326B).
  • Criminal Law (Amendment) Act: 2013 (post-Nirbhaya).
  • Police & Public Order — State List, Schedule VII [1].
  • POCSO Act enacted: 2012.
  • Mission Shakti period: aligned with 15th Finance Commission (2021-26) [2].
  • FTSC productivity ratio: ~3× regular courts [3].

8. Mains Relevance

  • GS-I: Role of women; social empowerment.
  • GS-II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections; mechanisms, laws, institutions for protection of women.
  • GS-III: Internal security — cybercrime against women.
  • Possible stems: 1. "Despite a robust legal framework, crimes against women persist due to implementation deficits. Examine in the context of Mission Shakti and FTSCs." 2. "Discuss the federal challenges in ensuring women's safety, given that 'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects." 3. "Evaluate the effectiveness of the Nirbhaya Fund in operationalising survivor-centric services."

9. Related Topics to Study Next

  • BNS, BNSS, BSA 2023 — new criminal code replacing IPC/CrPC/IEA.
  • POCSO Act 2012 — child sexual offences regime.
  • Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act, 2013 (PoSH) — Vishaka Guidelines lineage.
  • Beti Bachao Beti Padhao — sex-ratio and girl-child education.
  • NCRB "Crime in India" report — data source on women crimes.
  • Justice Verma Committee 2013 — foundational reform recommendations.
  • SHe-Box portal — workplace harassment grievance redressal.
  • CCTNS & cybercrime.gov.in (MHA) — tech backbone for crime tracking.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

  • Confusing Mission Shakti (MoWCD) with Mission Shakti (ISRO ASAT test, 2019).
  • Attributing Nirbhaya Fund to MoWCD — it is housed under DEA, MoF; MoWCD is only an executing ministry.
  • Mixing up Sambal vs Samarthya components (BBBP & OSC are under Sambal, not Samarthya).
  • Treating FTSCs as exclusively POCSO courts — only ~406 of 747 are exclusive POCSO; others handle rape cases.
  • Citing IPC 326A/326B post-1 July 2024 — replaced by BNS Sec 124.

Sources

  1. 1Government gives highest priority to safety and security of women and girlspib.gov.in · tier 1
  2. 2Mission Shakti / OSC / WHL / Nirbhaya Fund (PIB releases PRID 2039867, 2226335, 2085607)pib.gov.in · tier 1
  3. 3Fast Track Special Courts status (PRID 2154103, 2102677, 2113344)pib.gov.in · tier 1

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