Telangana Sakhi centres receive pioneering results; Union Minister Smriti Irani congratulates team

Hyderabad: The Women and Child Welfare Department (WCD) of Telangana have succeeded in setting up as many as 27 out of 31 ‘One Stop Crisis Centres’ for women, sanctioned by the Centre. In a record time of 100 days, the department has established 16 ‘One Stop Crisis Centres’, aka Sakhi centres in Telangana.

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Monday congratulated the Telangana government’s Women and Child Welfare department for their initiative. In her official twitter handle, the Union Minister said, “Telangana state has witnessed the opening of 16 One Stop Centres in first 100 days. My gratitude to the State Administration for it supports and cooperation (sic).”

Nine Sakhi centres have been functioning in Telangana since December 2017. In March this year, the centre had sanctioned seven more centres for the state. Since its inception, the centres across the state were flooded with domestic violence cases.

Sumithra Makkupati,

Telangana state has witnessed opening of 16 One Stop Centres in first 100 days. My gratitude to the State Administration for its support and cooperation.

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) October 4, 2019

District Welfare Officer, Rangareddy District, said “Majority of cases we receive are domestic violence. A minimum of three to five woman come to our centre for institutional assistance each day.”

To date, the Sakhi centre at Rangareddy recorded 1,300 domestic violence cases out of a total of 1,768 cases from its inception in December 2017. This year alone the number of cases registered at Rangareddy Sakhi centre is 40. This is followed by 151 dowry harassment and death cases and 103 abduction cases.

The Director, Viziendira Boyi, congratulated the Sakhi team for successfully setting up centres to provide legal aid as well other support for women affected by violence. Reacting to the team’s achievement, Boyi said, “The Union Minister’s tweet has indeed come as a welcome gift. While the state is celebrating Dussehra as well Bathukamma with traditional gaiety and enthusiasm, I am confident the rest of the six Sakhi centres would be set up at the earliest.”

Telangana was able to implement Sakhi effectively because of its technical partner — Tata Institute of Social Sciences — and the involvement of civil society groups as support organisations. “The model is unique to Telangana, and it’s a bold and innovative step taken by the Women and Child Welfare Department. The project is done under the leadership of Director Boyi and Secretary Jagdeeswar,” Makkupati added.