Cabinet clears Rs 3,788 crore to strengthen 850 fast-track courts for rape, POCSO cases

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the continuation and strengthening of 850 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including exclusive POCSO courts, to expedite the disposal of pending rape and child sexual abuse cases, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.

The scheme will have a total financial outlay of Rs 3,788.04 crore and will be implemented across 29 participating states and Union Territories.

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The network of fast-track courts will be expanded from the existing 779 functional courts, including 399 exclusive POCSO courts, to 850. The coverage will also extend to additional districts based on the pendency of rape and cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Under the scheme, each court will be supported by a dedicated judicial officer, a special public prosecutor and six support staff to facilitate the speedy disposal of pending cases.

The Centre will also provide financial assistance to participating states and Union Territories to meet the operational expenditure of the courts under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) funding pattern.

The Fast Track Special Courts were set up to ensure time-bound trials in cases involving rape and sexual offences against children. The latest approval seeks to strengthen the existing network and expand its reach to districts with a higher burden of such cases.