The Times of India 08.03.2013
New budget expected to be women-centric
residents, especially the womenfolk, will have something to cheer about
in the coming corporation budget. The civic body has formulated
elaborate plans for ensuring the development of women
and enhancing their safety. Sources indicated that though the budget
will focus on city development both in terms of better basic amenities
and infrastructure, equal weight will be allocated for the betterment of
women in the upcoming budget.
This could be the first time the
civic body is planning to specifically focus on women and girl students
in a major way, although budgetary allocations have been made in the
past for the benefit of students and youth. The only girl specific
announcement in the previous budget was the allocation of Rs 15 lakh for
installing additional sanitary napkin vending machines and incinerators
for girl students in six high schools and 14 corporation middle
schools.
The proposed corporation budget is expected to have
allocations for extending special training in self defence techniques
especially for girl children studying in corporation schools. A separate
budgetary allocation could be expected for this purpose in the
financial document for 2013-14 which will be officially presented after
the second week of March. Apart from education, the health sector could
also have some allocations made with special focus on women and child
welfare. Sources in the corporation indicated that other development and
welfare schemes specifically for women will be included in the
corporation budget.
Improving the streetlight and road
facilities in newly added areas could also have an indirect bearing on
the safe movement of residents including women in corporation limits.