Parliamentary Committee Raises Concerns Over Underutilized Funds and Crime Rates

Opposition members of the parliamentary standing committee on home affairs expressed concerns over under-utilization of funds and high crime rates against women and children. They highlighted the underutilized Nirbhaya Fund and questioned increased allocations for border infrastructure. Concerns about prison modernization, census activities, and island development were also addressed.

The parliamentary standing committee on home affairs recently scrutinized the under-utilization of funds and rising crime rates against women and children in the national capital. These concerns were raised prominently by opposition members, particularly those from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Congress.

During the meetings, which spanned two days, TMC MPs called attention to the Nirbhaya Fund, with almost two-thirds reportedly unutilized. The fund is critical for executing women’s safety projects, a source noted. Additionally, the TMC questioned the increased budget for border infrastructure, which saw a significant jump in allocation.

Further issues were raised regarding slow-moving census activities and limited budgets, insufficient prison modernization funds, and inadequate financial aid for terrorism and communal violence victims. Concerns also extended to the holistic development of islands like Andaman and Nicobar. A Congress MP also pointed out alarming crime rates and case backlog in Delhi police records.