Saturday, September 17 2005 17:58 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: In a step towards fulfilling a long-pending demand of women activists for relief and rehabilitation of rape victims, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has mooted a scheme for giving them compensation ranging from Rs two to five lakh.

To be presented to the Government on Monday (Sept 12, 2005), the draft scheme proposes setting up of District Criminal Inquiries Relief Board (DCIRB), that will be headed by the Collector or District Magistrate, to provide rape victims with relief and rehabilitation.

Any rape victim or her legal heir can apply to the Board for relief, whose minimum amount will be Rs two lakh and maximum Rs five lakh, NCW Chairperson Girija Vyas told reporters here today.

The Board, that will decide the compensation amount depending on the nature of the case, will be required to give an interim relief of Rs 20,000 to the victim, she said, giving an overview of the 'Relief to and Rehabilitation of Victims of Rape Scheme, 2005'.

While a relief of Rs two lakh can be awarded by the District Board, compensation of up to Rs five lakh will be decided by Boards set up at the state and Central levels.

The scheme, prepared following a Supreme Court directive, also entails creating a National Rape Victims Assistance Fund with budgetary allocations from the Centre.

"We have tried to make the scheme as practical as possible. We have taken the views of rape victims themselves on what are their requirements and found that the young girls especially want help in continuing their education and also get some vocational training," Vyas said.