Govt sensitive to issue of crimes against women, children: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi: Government is sensitive to theproblem of crimes against women and children and has strengthened legal and institutional infrastructure to deal with the menace, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday.

Singh said the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act has been a landmark legislation which enhanced the punishment for various crimes against women. Singh said a decision has been taken to assist the states to set up dedicated investigative units to tackle crime against women in about 564 districts in the country.

These units will be specialised in nature having one-third women investigators and will be funded by the Centre and States on 50:50 sharing basis.

"The police officers and medical officers can also be prosecuted if found wanting in discharging their responsibilities in specific cases against women," he said.

The Home Minister said a nationwide emergency response system (NERS) and having '112' as the emergency number will soon be operationalised.

Singh said the NERS can be dialled from anywhere in the country by anyone to seek police assistance. The Home Minister said that timely and hassle-free registration of crime is equally important and the Home Ministry is going to provide the facility to the people through citizen portal which is under development as part of Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS) project.

"This will create a facility for people to report a crime and also track the follow up action taken by the appropriate agencies," he said.