Rahul Gandhi Flags OSC Issues, Says Govt Not Listening

“Women are knocking on doors for help, but the government has kept these doors closed. I asked in parliament: When a woman escapes violence and reaches the One Stop Center (OSC), why does she not receive help? Why does she find the doors locked instead? Why is there a staff shortage? Why are complaints from all over the country not heard?” Gandhi said this in a post on his WhatsApp channel.

“What has been the government’s response? Everything is ‘satisfactory’. If everything is truly ‘satisfactory’, then why do reports of so many problems with OSCs continue to surface?” he said.

If security is a priority, why are three in five women still not receiving aid, Gandhi asked?

“So why out of every 100 rupees allocated to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, only 60 paise is spent on OSCs?” the former Congress chief said.

“Security is not just a plan; it is a core responsibility of the government. Rejecting everything as ‘satisfactory’ does not guarantee security; it only shows that the Modi government is not listening to anyone,” Gandhi said. he said.

In his question in the Lok Sabha on March 27, Gandhi had asked whether a large number of OSCs remained locked, non-functional/mandatory working round the clock, and if so, details of the same; and the number of women seeking assistance and shelter at NIMs and the number of cases of crime against women recorded in the last five years, state-wise and year-wise.

He also asked about the number of operational OSCs and new OSCs opened by state and year in the last five years; and details of funds released/used for OSCs during the period in question, state-wise and year-wise, also stating the reasons for under-utilization.

It also asked for details of positions sanctioned and filled in OSCs on a state-by-state basis, including administrators, caseworkers, counsellors, health officers and police; and Whether the Ministry has investigated complaints regarding mismanagement/violation of operational guidelines, and if so, their details and the actions taken thereon.

In her written response to the question, Savitri Thakur, Minister of State in the Ministry of Women and Child Development said that OSC is a component of the Sambal vertical under the umbrella of Mission Shakti and provides integrated and immediate support and assistance to women affected by violence and women in distress, both in private and public spheres, under one roof.

“It provides services like medical aid, legal aid and advice, temporary shelter, police assistance and psycho-social counseling to women in need. Since its inception, i.e. from 1 April 2015 to 31 December 2025, more than 13.37 lakh women have been helped in the country,” he said and also shared state- and UT-wise details of OSCs.

The overall implementation of the OSC scheme lies with the state governments and UT administrations, the Minister said.

“Two third-party evaluations of the Ministry’s programs, including the Mission Shakti Umbrella Scheme and its components on One Stop Centers (OSCs), were conducted in 2020 and again in 2025 through NITI Aayog. The studies found the relevance, effectiveness and sustainability of the scheme satisfactory,” Thakur said. he said.