GUWAHATI, Aug 7 - With an aim to support women affected by violence in private or public places, within the family, community or at workplace, the social welfare department had set up �one-stop centres� in all the districts of the State.
Unfortunately, performances of these centres were not found to be satisfactory, prompting the government to bring all the centres under one single agency, according to sources in the department.
The department used to run the centres in collaboration with some NGOs which, according to the sources, could not deliver the goods and instead, used the centres only for their individual gains.
�Due to such an indifferent attitude, the main purpose of the scheme was never served,� the sources said.
The purpose behind setting up the centres was to provide integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence, both in private and public places, under one roof.
These centres provide both emergency and non-emergency access to a range of services including medical, legal, psychological and counselling support under one roof to fight against all forms of violence against women.
The services include emergency response and rescue services, medical aid, assistance in lodging police complaint, psycho-social support, legal aid and shelter.
The sources said that for greater public interest and to implement the scheme properly, the department is now considering bringing all the centres under one agency, for which the bidding process has also been initiated.
The sources also asserted that though the State has emerged as the source, transit and destination for human traffickers, there are still six districts without an �Ujjawala� home.
Through the Ujjawala homes the government provides shelter and basic amenities such as food, clothing, medical care, legal aid and education for minor victims. Vocational training and income generation activities too are undertaken to facilitate trafficking survivors with alternative livelihood options.
According to the sources, char areas and India-Bangladesh border areas along with Lakhimpur and Tinsukia districts are the hotbeds for human trafficking where the issue of economic backwardness has only added to the ordeal of the people.
Further, sources divulged that manpower shortage in the social welfare department has also become a matter of concern, which is leading to delay in implementation of a number of schemes.
Meanwhile, Global Organisation for Life Development (GOLD), a city-based NGO, today organised an awareness workshop here on human trafficking under the Ujjawala project and to protest against the Unnao rape incident.
