Bengaluru: The Nirbhaya rape case of December 2012, which shook the nation and turned the spotlight on crimes against women, prompted the then UPA government to create a national fund that every state could rely on to implement measures for their safety and security. But four years down the line there is no sign yet of the promised fund that the states were supposed to use to support NGOs working for women and to make public transport safer with the installation of GPS and CCTV cameras. There was no mention of it in the 2017 Union Budget either.
“I ask Mr. Narendra Modi where is the money for this scheme? Of the Rs 1000 crore that was to be given to Karnataka, Rs 653 crores was meant for ensuring safety in public transport for women. We wanted to install CCTV cameras with the transport fund, but have not received any," said BMTC chairman, Nagaraj Yadav.
"When we spoke to Maneka Gandhi, Union Minister for Women and Child Welfare, she said installing CCTVs was not useful. The Centre is cancelling on its own scheme," he protested. While Bengaluru buses do have GPS to track them, installing CCTV cameras would make it easier to spot pickpockets, or men groping or harassing women, the chairman believes.
