Leh: Union Minister for Women & Child Development (WCD), Smriti Irani on Thursday assured complete support and funds to Ladakh for the safety and dignity of women in the union territory.
The union minister made these remarks during a virtual meeting with Lieutenant Governor Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) to discuss pending issues of various schemes by the Ministry being implemented in the region.
Noting the recent incident of rape and attempted murder of a minor girl in Leh, the union minister assured complete support to the union territory of Ladakh for the safety of women.
The ministry has assured to provide adequate financial support under Nirbhaya Funds for the safety and dignity of women, said an official.
In a heart-wrenching incident, a 12-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a man who also tried to kill her in Leh district on March 29. The police, however, solved the case within 48 hours and has arrested the accused.
The people in Ladakh have held several protest demonstrations ever since, demanding stricter punishment to the accused.
In Thursday’s meeting, LG Mishra briefed the union minister of the progress being made in the investigation of the case, and informed that the Ladakh Legal Services Authority has already established a special court under POCSO Act for a speedy trial in the case.
In the meeting, Irani also requested the LG to support girls’ participation in sports and skill-based activities under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme.
“Ladakh should aim to be a Union Territory with zero Moderately Acute Malnourished (MAM) children and emphasised on 100% saturation coverage of eligible women under Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMVVY),” Irani said.
LG Mishra complimented the Ministry of WCD for working for the support of women and children on a mission mode and requested the Ministry for capacity building of Anganwadi Workers, Supervisors, Child Development
Project Officers (CDPOs) and Counsellors from UT of Ladakh at the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD), Mohali, in view of the absence of any Training Institute in UT Ladakh.
He also requested for timely release of funds under the Missions of the Ministry— Mission Saksham Anganwadi, Mission Vatsalya, Mission Poshan and Mission Shakti— for its proper utilisation in Ladakh.
While discussing the progress of Mission Poshan and Saksham Anganwadi in Ladakh, the Secretary, Ministry of WCD, Indevar Pandey, stressed the need for timely updation of data on the Poshan Tracker along with the Aadhar seeding of all beneficiaries. The Secretary also flagged the need to give access to clean drinking water and toilet facilities at all Anganwadi Centres in Ladakh.
Indevar emphasised the operationalisation of the Women Helpline, integrating it with Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) 112 in Ladakh and establishing Childline 1098 under Mission Vatsalya in a time-bound manner.
Commissioner Secretary Padma Angmo briefed the Ministry about the implementation of the Missions in Ladakh and informed that 414 Anganwadi Workers were trained at NIPCCD Mohali from Sept 2022-Feb 2023.
She also informed the Hon’ble Minister of WCD that the workshop on early childhood care and education for Master Trainers for Ladakh is being planned with the help of NIPCCD in May-June 2023. She also briefed that PMMVY is being regularly reviewed and all the eligible beneficiaries have been covered.
Padma informed stated that 13 Saksham Anganwadi Centres have been proposed in Annual Plan for 2023-24, with one at each project while the engagement of staff and Counsellors is being undertaken under Mission Vatsalya.
