In a step towards fulfilling a long-pending demand of women activists for relief and rehabilitation of rape victims, the National Commission for Women has mooted a scheme for giving them compensation ranging from Rs 2 to 5 lakh.

To be presented to the government on Monday, the draft scheme proposes setting up of District Criminal Inquiries Relief Board, which will be headed by the Collector or District Magistrate, to provide rape victims with relief and rehabilitation.

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Any rape victim or her legal heir can apply to the Board for relief, whose minimum amount will be Rs  2lakh and maximum Rs 5 lakh, NCW Chairperson Girija Vyas told reporters on Saturday.

The Board, which will decide the compensation amount depending on the nature of the case, will be required to give an interim relief of Rs 20,000 to the victim, she said, giving an overview of the Relief to and Rehabilitation of Victims of Rape Scheme, 2005.

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While a relief of Rs 2 lakh can be awarded by the District Board, compensation of up to Rs 5 lakh will be decided by Boards set up at the state and Central levels. The scheme, prepared following a Supreme Court directive, also entails creating a National Rape Victims Assistance Fund with budgetary allocations from the Centre.

"We have tried to make the scheme as practical as possible. We have taken the views of rape victims themselves on what are their requirements and found that the young girls, especially, want help in continuing their education and also get some vocational training," Vyas said.

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