In a compassionate move to support minor rape victims in the state, the Madhya Pradesh government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav has made a major announcement. The state government is planning to provide assistance and support to the pregnant minor rape victims, who get pregnant as a result of rape and their children. The proposal was approved in a cabinet meeting held on Tuesday.
The cabinet has allocated a fund of Rs 10 lakh to each District Collector across the state to provide essential support for minor rape victims who become pregnant. The money will be provided from the Nirbhaya Fund, which is an amount of money set up by the central government to support initiatives that ensure the safety of women and children. The fund was announced in 2013 by the then Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, following the Delhi gang rape case in 2012.
The initiative ensures that both the victim and her child are supported throughout their recovery and development.
The scheme will be implemented across all 55 districts of the state under Sections 4 and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 (amended 2019).
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav
The fund allocated to the District Collector will be used for:
Dedicated units will be established for babies born as a result of sexual assault.
Psychological counselling will be provided to help the minor victims recover from mental trauma caused by rape.
The fund will also be used to ensure that the education of the victim is not interrupted.
Victim will also be provided vocational training if required. The government offers financial assistance of Rs 4,000 per month to those opting for vocational training. Support will be provided till the victim turns 23 or gets employed.
Eligibility
Financial support will be provided only to those victims who get pregnant as a result of rape. As per the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses) under Section 6, the scheme will only apply in cases of aggravated penetrative sexual assault. The victim will have to submit a copy of the FIR to gain benefits of the scheme.
Recent cases of minor rape in Madhya Pradesh
A visually challenged girl was allegedly raped by a temple priest in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh within the temple premises. The victim’s family recently filed police complaint after she became pregnant.
A 5-year-old girl found dead in a house in a multi-storeyed building in Bhopal in the last week of September, who was allegedly raped and murdered. The girl’s body was found in a water tank at the apartment building, with police arresting her neighbour for allegedly raping and murdering her.
In August this year, the police arrested a 69-year-old man for allegedly raping a teenage girl in Madhya Pradesh’s Shahdol district. The accused allegedly raped the 16-year-old girl after finding her alone at her home, as revealed by the Beohari police. A police complaint was filed by the minor’s family on 15th August.
A three-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her school teacher in the state capital Bhopal on 18th September this year. The accused has been booked and arrested.
