NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh is the only state to have responded to a call by the Centre to setup a centralised shelter home for women and children in every state.

In the wake of the unearthing of mass sexual abuse of girls at state-funded shelter homes in UP and Bihar run by NGOs last year, the Union Women and Child Development Ministry had proposed formulating a scheme for creating a single, large shelter facility in each state, directly under the control of the governments of each state.

But in response to feedback sought by the Centre, only the Yogi Adityanath government in UP has offered plots in Lucknow and Gorakhpur for setting up the centre.

Sources in the WCD Ministry said that the National Building Construction Corporation has now been consulted to design a centre in Lucknow, which was preferred over Gorakhpur. 

The Centre had suggested that no money be granted to NGOs to run shelter homes.

In a letter written to states in September, WCD Minister Maneka Gandhi had written: “While the outrage regarding rape of girls in a shelter home in Muzaffarpur, Bihar is still going on, a new case has come from Deoria, UP ...”

“I have been asking for a scheme where each state should have a single, large facility...which should be run by the state. Other homes in the state should only provide temporary shelter to distressed women and children after clearance by child welfare committees,” the letter had said. 

“This is disappointing that states have not shown much interest,” an official added.