Monitoring panel to keep an eye on women shelters in Delhi

Delhi social welfare minister Rajendra Pal Gautam on Tuesday directed the department’s officials to form a monitoring committee for keeping a vigil on women shelters in the city.

The instructions were issued after a surprise visit to Nari Niketan, Mahila Sadan and Asha Jyoti shelter homes on Tuesday.

“The minister has issued directions that a monitoring committee be formed. The committee will regularly check the services and other infrastructure to better the safety of inmates. It will ensure a comfortable environment to all female inmates residing in government and non-government-run institutions,” a social welfare department official, who accompanied Gautam on the visit, said.

The minister directed officials to provide all items of need according to norms set by the department and said any irregularity would be viewed seriously.

“The process to form the committee has been started and modalities are being decided. The committee will keep a check if norms are being followed and things are in place at shelter homes,” the official said.

Earlier this month, after reports of rapes at a shelter home in Bihar, Gautam directed the social welfare secretary to audit all government and private shelter homes in the city.

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) too had decided to conduct a social audit of shelter homes for women in the Capital.

During his visit to the women shelters, the security staff stopped the minister at the entry gates and requested him to wait till the arrival of the superintendent.

“The minister appreciated that entry norms were being followed strictly by the security staff,” the official said.

In July this year, Gautam had inspected the Lampur Beggar Home at Narela to explore the possibilities of housing mentally challenged persons there.