Maharashtra Districts to Have All-Women Police Stations, Affordable Sanitary Napkins: Ajit Pawar

Mumbai: Calling women's safety a matter of highest priority for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday announced that all-women police stations will be set up in every district headquarter of the state.

He also announced that special investigation teams (SITs) will be formed to probe complaints of atrocities against women.

Pawar, who also holds the finance portfolio, made these announcements in the state Legislative Assembly while presenting the Uddhav Thackeray-led government's maiden budget.

"Women's safety is a matter of highest priority to the government and it is committed to implement measures to avert crime against them," he said.

"Special police stations will be set up in each district headquarter, where the police personnel and other staff will only be women," the NCP leader said.

Any woman in the district can approach this police station and register a complaint, he added.

"Special investigation teams will be constituted to probe complaints of atrocities against women.

"Women public prosecutors will be appointed to represent the government in such cases," he added. The government also proposes to establish a women's commission office at each divisional commissioner-level in the state, Pawar said.

"The government is also exploring the possibility of formulating strict laws to dispense quick justice that would deter incidents of violence against women and if such crimes occur, criminals can be held accountable," he said.

The state also plans to give preference to women self-help groups(SHGs) for procurement of products and services worth up to Rs 1,000 crore, he said, adding that the government's procurement policy will be amended to facilitate this.

Pawar announced that the government will provide good quality sanitary napkins to girl studying in Zilla Parishad (ZP) schools at affordable rates to help create awareness about personal hygiene among women in rural areas.

"The government has allotted Rs 64.30 crore for this purpose," he said.