`Maharashtra govt will ensure private establishments set up Vishakha Committees`
The Maharashtra government will ensure that private establishments set up Vishakha Committees to address sexual harassment complaints of women at workplaces, state minister Aditi Tatkare told the Legislative Council on Monday, reported news agency PTI.
The Women and Child Development Minister said all offices of the state government had already established these committees but some private establishments are yet to do so, reported PTI.
“A review will be conducted at various levels to ensure compliance,” Tatkare said while responding to a calling attention motion raised by BJP legislator Chitra Wagh on the functioning of Vishakha Committees, reported PTI.
The Vishakha Committee, or Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), is a body established in workplaces and educational institutions to address and prevent sexual harassment, following the Vishakha Guidelines and the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, reported PTI.
Tatkare announced that a separate panel of officials from relevant departments will be formed to oversee the establishment of these committees.
The minister assured that measures would be taken to expedite the resolution of complaints received by these committees.
She also highlighted that the state government has issued orders for setting up grievance panels in various establishments and local-level complaint committees at the district level to strengthen workplace safety for women, reported PTI.
Wagh said Vishakha Committees should not remain on paper, but they must be functional and accessible to ensure a safe work environment for women.
Tatkare further informed the Council that Maharashtra currently has 74,010 Vishakha Committees, while 36 district-level local complaint panels are operational for cases involving workplaces with fewer than ten employees or complaints against employers, reported PTI.
She added that the Women and Child Development Commissionerate has been designated as the state coordination authority, with nodal officers appointed at the district, municipal corporation, municipal council, and taluka levels, reported PTI.
“Women can also file complaints through the SHE BOX online portal,” Tatkare said, reported PTI.
The minister assured that the government is actively monitoring the implementation of these committees through regular meetings and circulars to ensure a safe and respectful work environment for women.
(With inputs from PTI)
