Did Govt Centrally Scheme Function in District Anantnag?

Sameer Ahmad

Anantnag: In contradictory statements by DSWO Anantnag and the Chairman of Hilal Institute, an NGO operating in Anantnag, on whether the One Stop Center (OSC) is functional or non-functional in District Anantnag, the nodal officer of the scheme has alleged that the scheme has been non-functional for the last six months in District Anantnag due to a court case by Hilal Institute, an NGO.

Talking to Arising State, DSWO Anantnag said, “We have informed the NGO vide order No. DSWO/Ang/Estt/2024/956-52, dated 29/10/2024, to hand over the OSC to District Administration Anantnag so that the same is made functional under District Administration at Nanil Aakura.”

The directive to hand over the OSC was issued in line with the minutes of the meeting chaired by the Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department (Letter No. SWD/Plan/2/2024-01(e-7424214), dated 25-10-2024; copy enclosed). This directive authorized district administrations to take control of OSCs to streamline operations and ensure compliance with government norms, he said.

“The NGO didn’t hand over the OSC center to District Administration. Instead of handing it over, the NGO went to court against the Department,” he said.

During the minutes of the meeting held under the chairpersonship of the Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department, held on 10-10-2024, it was directed that the District Social Welfare Officers of Anantnag, Bandipora, Ganderbal, and Kupwara take over the One Stop Centers from NGOs within a week’s time, along with office equipment/furniture, records, staff, etc., and shift them into pre-existing government buildings for operating the OSCs, and report the status to the Mission Directorate. However, specific instructions were passed that OSC Ganderbal and Anantnag shall be shifted to the newly constructed Halfway Home Ganderbal and Composite Home Aukura Anantnag, respectively, reads the minutes of the meeting order.

In other districts of South Kashmir like Kulgam, Shopian, and Pulwama, the One Stop Center is working under the District Administrations and supervised by the Social Welfare Department (DSWO), official sources said.

However, the objective of the One Stop Centres (OSC) is to support women affected by violence, both in private and public spaces—within the family, community, and at the workplace. Women facing physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, and economic abuse, irrespective of age, class, caste, education status, marital status, race, and culture, will be facilitated with support and redressal.

Aggrieved women facing any kind of violence due to attempted sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, trafficking, honour-related crimes, acid attacks, or witch-hunting who have reached out or been referred to the OSC will be provided with specialized services. These centers facilitate immediate, emergency, and non-emergency access to a range of services including medical, legal, psychological, and counseling support under one roof to fight against any form of violence against women.

Meanwhile, talking to Arising State, Syed Abdul Rasheed Hilal, Chairman of the NGO, said that the scheme is still functional in Anantnag and that they are following the guidelines of the Ministry of Women and Child Development. He said that they have some issues with the department and a case is going on in the District Court regarding the same.