‘Why are 3 out of every 5 women still not receiving help?’ Rahul Gandhi flags gaps in OSCs

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday raised concerns over women’s safety and the functioning of One Stop Centres (OSCs), alleging that many women in distress are still unable to access timely support.

In a post on his WhatsApp channel, Gandhi wrote: “Women are knocking on doors for help, but the government has shut those doors.”

He further mentioned: “I asked in Parliament: when a woman escapes violence and reaches a One Stop Centre (OSC), why does she not receive help? Why does she find it locked? Why is there a shortage of staff? Why are complaints from across the country being ignored? What was the government’s response? Everything is ‘satisfactory’. If everything is ‘satisfactory’, then why are there so many reports highlighting problems in OSCs?”

“If safety is a priority, why are 3 out of every 5 women still not receiving help? And why is only 60 paise out of every Rs 100 of the Women and Child Development Ministry being spent on OSCs?” he asked.

The LoP further stated, “Safety is not a scheme; it is the basic responsibility of the government. Calling everything ‘satisfactory’ does not ensure safety; it shows that the Modi government is not listening to anyone.”

Gandhi’s remarks come in the context of a question he raised in the Lok Sabha on March 27, 2026, seeking details about the functioning of OSCs across the country. He had asked whether several centres were non-functional, not operating round the clock, or facing staff shortages.

He also sought data on the number of women seeking assistance, funds allocated and utilised, and vacancies in key positions such as administrators, counsellors, and medical staff.

Responding to the query, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur said that OSCs operate under the Mission Shakti scheme and are designed to provide “integrated and immediate assistance” to women affected by violence, including medical aid, legal support, temporary shelter, police assistance and psychosocial counselling.

The government stated that “since its inception on April 1, 2015, till December 31, 2025, more than 13.37 lakh women have been assisted” through OSCs across the country. It also clarified that “the overall implementation of the OSC scheme lies with the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations”, while funds are released as per prescribed guidelines.

Highlighting monitoring mechanisms, the ministry said that “once a year, the Programme Approval Board (PAB) reviews the progress of activities under the scheme” and that officials conduct regular reviews through meetings, video conferencing, and field visits.

The government further noted that “third-party evaluations…through NITI Aayog in 2020 and 2025 found the scheme’s relevance, effectiveness and sustainability to be satisfactory.”

Despite these assurances, Gandhi maintained that continued reports of gaps in access and services suggest a disconnect between official claims and the situation on the ground.

IANS