In a bid to infuse fresh energy in the party organisation and with the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls in mind, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/priyanka-gandhi-to-visit-uttar-pradesh-for-first-time-after-congress-poll-debacle-225817">Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra</a> will increase the frequency of her tours to the state and meet party workers at least twice a week, sources said on Sunday.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh is ready to hit the ground in the state, following the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/priyanka-gandhi-reprimands-congress-workers-for-not-giving-their-best-in-lok-sabha-polls-226769">Congress's debacle in the recent Lok Sabha election</a>, in order to strengthen the party organisation in time for the 2022 Assembly polls.

In a bid to ensure direct communication with the party workers, Priyanka Gandhi will meet them twice a week without prior appointments, the sources said.

"It emerged from the review meetings held after the Lok Sabha polls that there should be greater coordination and communication between the leaders and the workers.

For this, it has been decided that Priyanka Gandhi will meet the party workers at least twice a week," a Congress leader said on the condition of anonymity.

"The frequency of her tours to Uttar Pradesh will also increase in the near future," he added.

The plan to step up her Uttar Pradesh tours and establish direct communication with the party workers comes days after Priyanka Gandhi, during a visit to Raebareli, told the workers that they had let down the grand old party in the Lok Sabha polls.

Accompanied by her mother and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who visited her parliamentary constituency last Wednesday, Priyanka Gandhi pulled up the party workers for failing to work for the Congress during the polls.

"I will find out the names of the workers who did not work for the party in the election," she had said, adding that those who had toiled honestly and sincerely for the party knew that from the core of their hearts.

"But those who did not, I will find out their names," she had said.

Priyanka Gandhi, who was appointed as the party general secretary just ahead of the parliamentary polls, had campaigned vigorously for Congress candidates in Uttar Pradesh, especially in Raebareli and Amethi.

But of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the Congress could manage to win only Raebareli. Even party president Rahul Gandhi lost to Union minister Smriti Irani from his family stronghold of Amethi.

Priyanka Gandhi and AICC in-charge of western Uttar Pradesh Jyotiraditya Scindia held review meetings following the party's debacle in the Lok Sabha polls, in which it managed to win 52 seats nationally.

Bypolls are due for 11 Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh after the respective MLAs were elected to Parliament.

In a bid to infuse fresh energy in the party organisation and with the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls in mind, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will increase the frequency of her tours to the state and meet party workers at least twice a week, sources said on Sunday.

In a bid to infuse fresh energy in the party organisation and with the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls in mind, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will increase the frequency of her tours to the state and meet party workers at least twice a week, sources said on Sunday. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh is ready to hit the ground in the state, following the Congress's debacle in the recent Lok Sabha election, in order to strengthen the party organisation in time for the 2022 Assembly polls. In a bid to ensure direct communication with the party workers, Priyanka Gandhi will meet them twice a week without prior appointments, the sources said. "It emerged from the review meetings held after the Lok Sabha polls that there should be greater coordination and communication between the leaders and the workers. For this, it has been decided that Priyanka Gandhi will meet the party workers at least twice a week," a Congress leader said on the condition of anonymity. "The frequency of her tours to Uttar Pradesh will also increase in the near future," he added. The plan to step up her Uttar Pradesh tours and establish direct communication with the party workers comes days after Priyanka Gandhi, during a visit to Raebareli, told the workers that they had let down the grand old party in the Lok Sabha polls. Accompanied by her mother and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who visited her parliamentary constituency last Wednesday, Priyanka Gandhi pulled up the party workers for failing to work for the Congress during the polls. "I will find out the names of the workers who did not work for the party in the election," she had said, adding that those who had toiled honestly and sincerely for the party knew that from the core of their hearts. "But those who did not, I will find out their names," she had said. Priyanka Gandhi, who was appointed as the party general secretary just ahead of the parliamentary polls, had campaigned vigorously for Congress candidates in Uttar Pradesh, especially in Raebareli and Amethi. But of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the Congress could manage to win only Raebareli. Even party president Rahul Gandhi lost to Union minister Smriti Irani from his family stronghold of Amethi. Priyanka Gandhi and AICC in-charge of western Uttar Pradesh Jyotiraditya Scindia held review meetings following the party's debacle in the Lok Sabha polls, in which it managed to win 52 seats nationally. Bypolls are due for 11 Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh after the respective MLAs were elected to Parliament.

With eye on 2022, Priyanka Gandhi to step up UP tours, meet Congress workers twice a week

Lok Sabha polls 2019: A closer look at the key constituents of the United Progressive Alliance

A parliamentary panel has taken strong exception to the utilisation of Nirbhaya Fund in the construction of buildings, saying such allocations virtually defeat the very purpose of the project — the women safety.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, headed by Congress leader P Chidambaram, said, "The committee is also of the firm view that funds for construction of buildings should come from other sources and not from the Nirbhaya Fund.&nbsp;

"Nirbhaya Fund should not be used for the construction of buildings. Such allocations virtually defeat the purpose of it," the panel said in its report submitted to the Rajya Sabha last week.

The committee said it strongly recommends that the home ministry should desist from sanctioning funds for schemes like construction of buildings from the Nirbhaya Fund and adhere to its original purpose.

The Nirbhaya Fund was started in 2013 by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to implement initiatives aimed at enhancing the safety and security of women across the country.

The non-lapsable corpus fund was instituted following gang-rape of a girl in Delhi in 2012 which triggered a nation-wide outrage and protests.

The committee said that sanctioning money from Nirbhaya Fund for schemes pertaining to compensation would render it as a fund for mere disbursal and would not have a desired impact at the ground-level in enhancing the security scenario for the women.

The panel observed that Rs 200 crore has been sanctioned as a one-time grant for Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF) Scheme for compensating women victims of acid attacks, rape, trafficking, etc.

It appreciated the necessity and significance of the CVCF Scheme, however, suggesting that this scheme could have been funded from other sources.

The committee took note of the reply of the home ministry that the decreased allocation made for 'Schemes of Safety of Women' was primarily because most of the expenditure out of the approved outlay for Emergency Response Support System had already been incurred up to 2017-18.&nbsp;

The committee, however, felt that the home ministry should have been "more proactive in finding new technology-driven projects" that could have been implemented during the current fiscal year.

"The committee feels that ministry should identify such innovative projects for funding and implementation.

"The committee, therefore, recommends that the ministry should undertake sincere efforts to identify innovative technology-driven projects that can enhance the safety of women, and seek additional funds for their implementation," it said.&nbsp;

A parliamentary panel has taken strong exception to the utilisation of Nirbhaya Fund in the construction of buildings, saying such allocations virtually defeat the very purpose of the project — the women safety.

A parliamentary panel has taken strong exception to the utilisation of Nirbhaya Fund in the construction of buildings, saying such allocations virtually defeat the very purpose of the project — the women safety. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, headed by Congress leader P Chidambaram, said, "The committee is also of the firm view that funds for construction of buildings should come from other sources and not from the Nirbhaya Fund. "Nirbhaya Fund should not be used for the construction of buildings. Such allocations virtually defeat the purpose of it," the panel said in its report submitted to the Rajya Sabha last week. The committee said it strongly recommends that the home ministry should desist from sanctioning funds for schemes like construction of buildings from the Nirbhaya Fund and adhere to its original purpose. The Nirbhaya Fund was started in 2013 by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to implement initiatives aimed at enhancing the safety and security of women across the country. The non-lapsable corpus fund was instituted following gang-rape of a girl in Delhi in 2012 which triggered a nation-wide outrage and protests. The committee said that sanctioning money from Nirbhaya Fund for schemes pertaining to compensation would render it as a fund for mere disbursal and would not have a desired impact at the ground-level in enhancing the security scenario for the women. The panel observed that Rs 200 crore has been sanctioned as a one-time grant for Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF) Scheme for compensating women victims of acid attacks, rape, trafficking, etc. It appreciated the necessity and significance of the CVCF Scheme, however, suggesting that this scheme could have been funded from other sources. The committee took note of the reply of the home ministry that the decreased allocation made for 'Schemes of Safety of Women' was primarily because most of the expenditure out of the approved outlay for Emergency Response Support System had already been incurred up to 2017-18. The committee, however, felt that the home ministry should have been "more proactive in finding new technology-driven projects" that could have been implemented during the current fiscal year. "The committee feels that ministry should identify such innovative projects for funding and implementation. "The committee, therefore, recommends that the ministry should undertake sincere efforts to identify innovative technology-driven projects that can enhance the safety of women, and seek additional funds for their implementation," it said.

Parliamentary panel takes exception to Nirbhaya Fund being used for construction of buildings