NCW chief calls for focused grievance redressal for better women’s safety in Jorhat | Guwahati News
Dibrugarh: National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar held a detailed review meeting with senior officials of the Jorhat district administration on Monday to assess the implementation of laws, policies and schemes related to women and their welfare.The meeting, organised at the Jorhat Circuit House focused on mechanisms for grievance redressal and better coordination among departments dealing with women’s issues.During the interaction, Rahatkar underlined the urgency of timely and effective action in all matters affecting women’s safety, dignity and rights. She told officials that delays or gaps in response can erode public confidence in institutions.“Women must feel that the system stands with them at every stage — from lodging a complaint to final resolution,” she said.Rahatkar placed special emphasis on strengthening institutional frameworks at the district and sub-divisional levels to ensure that women have accessible and dependable platforms for support. She called for regular monitoring of the functioning of women’s cells, legal aid mechanisms, and counselling facilities, as well as better coordination between administrative and police authorities.“Strong institutions, clear responsibility and close coordination are essential if we want zero tolerance towards crimes against women,” she added.The review also touched upon the need to enhance outreach at the grassroots so that information about existing schemes, helplines and support systems reaches women in rural and remote areas of Jorhat. Officials were urged to adopt proactive, citizen-centric approaches through awareness drives, village-level meetings and collaboration with local bodies and community groups.“Policies are meaningful only when the last woman in the village knows her rights and how to seek help,” she said.The meeting was attended by Jorhat deputy commissioner Jay Shivani, the chief executive officer of the zilla parishad, members of the Jorhat Women’s Cell and representatives of various other line departments. District officials briefed the NCW chairperson on ongoing initiatives, current challenges and the status of key programmes related to women’s safety, health, livelihoods and empowerment.In a separate session, Rahatkar also held a review meeting with the police administration to specifically examine law and order responses to crimes against women in the district. The discussion, attended by Jorhat SSP Subhrajyoti Borah and other senior police officers, focused on police preparedness, investigation quality, sensitivity in handling survivors, and prompt registration of cases.Both meetings concluded with an appeal from the NCW Chairperson for closer coordination between civil and police administration, and for measurable improvements in grievance redressal and service delivery.
