Mail News Service
Ranchi, Jan 29: A state-level consultation workshop aimed at strengthening One Stop Centers (OSCs) was organized at Hotel BNR Chanakya, Ranchi. The event was initiated by Youth Unity for Voluntary Action (YUVA) in collaboration with Kriya, New Delhi. The workshop saw the participation of Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji as the chief guest and ADG cum Women’s Cell in-charge Suman Gupta as the special guest.
OSCs, established in the wake of the Nirbhaya incident, serve as shelter homes for women victims of violence. However, operational challenges persist in Jharkhand, where only five out of 24 centers—Koderma, Ramgarh, Saraikela, Lohardaga and Dhanbad—function 24/7.
During the discussion, Laxmi Birua from the Jamshedpur OSC highlighted that their center, located on the third floor of the Red Cross building, lacks an elevator, making accessibility difficult for victims. Additionally, representatives from various districts pointed out staffing shortages, lack of proper infrastructure and unresponsive police assistance.
ADG Suman Gupta acknowledged the existing gap between OSCs and the police and stressed the need for better coordination. “We need to improve awareness and accessibility to these centers to ensure their effectiveness,” she stated. Meanwhile, MP Mahua Maji assured that she would raise the issue in Parliament and push for increased funding to improve OSC facilities.
