The social welfare department will soon start a correctional home in Patna to help rehabilitate victims of human trafficking.
A non-government organisation (NGO) would be selected to run the correctional home to be known as Nari Niketan. It is expected to start by the end of this year.
The decision has been taken in accordance with the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, which stipulates that every state needs to start a correctional home for victims of human trafficking.
Rupesh Kumar Sinha, project director, Women Development Corporation, which runs under the social welfare department, said: “We will set up the correctional home to be known as Nari Niketan. An NGO would be entrusted with the job of running the 50-bed Nari Niketan. We would provide the selected NGO Rs 36.95 lakh to develop the infrastructure. It would be provided funds every year to maintain the various facilities at the correctional home.”
The inmates would be given free food, lodging and medicines, while nurses, a matron and a counsellor would be available for 24 hours.
The aim of setting up the correctional home, Sinha said, was to provide social, psychological and medical help to the victims of human trafficking who are devoid of social security and acceptance.
“The victims of human trafficking would also be provided in-house vocational training on making detergents and incense sticks and sewing among others so that they can earn their livelihood. A part-time instructor would also train them in yoga and meditation. It would help them channelise their negative energy into positive energy,” said Sinha.
He added that the social welfare department had floated an expression of interest to invite proposals from NGOs for the project, around a month ago.
Thursday was the last date for submitting the proposals.
Sinha said: “We have received applications from around 15 NGOs. We had kept strict criteria while inviting proposals. An NGO applying for the project needs to have good experience of working with victims of human trafficking and should run similar kind of homes elsewhere in the country.”
