Uttarakhand Compensation Scheme for Women Victims/Survivors of Sexual Offences and Other Crimes, 2020

What is the Uttarakhand Compensation Scheme for Women Victims/Survivors of Sexual Offences and Other Crimes, 2020?

Uttarakhand Compensation Scheme for Women Victims/Survivors of Sexual Offences and Other Crimes, 2020 is a victim-compensation scheme administered by the Uttarakhand State Legal Services Authority (SLSA), Nainital, under the Department of Law, Government of Uttarakhand. The scheme gives financial compensation to women who survive serious crimes, and to the dependents of women who die because of such crimes, so that a survivor has money for medical care, rehabilitation and rebuilding her life, independent of whether the accused is ever convicted.

The Uttarakhand scheme follows the framework laid down by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) for compensation to women victims and survivors of sexual assault and other crimes, which the state formally adopted in 2020. According to the scheme, final compensation ranges from a minimum of about Rs 3 lakh up to about Rs 10 lakh, depending on the nature and gravity of the crime, and a separate interim compensation of up to about Rs 10,000 or free medical treatment can be given early, before the final amount is decided.

Key features of the scheme

• Administered by the Uttarakhand State Legal Services Authority through the District Legal Services Authorities.
• Compensation from about Rs 3 lakh to about Rs 10 lakh, set by the crime category.
• Interim relief available soon after the FIR.
• No conviction is required; compensation is separate from the criminal trial.
• Free legal help from paralegal volunteers, at no cost to the survivor.

How much compensation is paid, and for which crimes?

The scheme sets compensation by the category of harm, in line with the NALSA schedule. The gravest categories; such as loss of life and gang rape, sit at the higher end, reported around Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh; rape and unnatural sexual assault attract sums in the region of Rs 4 lakh to Rs 7 lakh; and acid attacks are compensated according to the extent of disfigurement and injury, with the most severe facial disfigurement cases toward Rs 7 lakh to Rs 8 lakh and lesser injuries scaling down toward the Rs 3 lakh minimum. Other covered harms include violence causing loss of a foetus, loss of fertility, grievous physical or mental injury, disability, and burns.

Because the exact figure for any individual case is fixed by the Legal Services Authority on the facts, and because the NALSA schedule is periodically revised, treat the amounts above as the reported ranges rather than a fixed entitlement, and confirm the current figure for your case with the District Legal Services Authority. Where a survivor has suffered more than one covered offence, the scheme provides a consolidated compensation rather than separate amounts for each.

Who is eligible for compensation?

You can apply if you are:

• A woman victim or survivor of a covered crime, including gang rape, rape, unnatural sexual assault, acid attack, or violence causing loss of a foetus, loss of fertility, grievous injury, disability or burns.
• A dependent of a woman who has died as a result of such a crime.

There is no age limit, no income limit and no caste condition, eligibility turns on the crime and the harm suffered, not on the survivor's background.

You cannot apply / are not eligible if:

• The case does not involve a covered crime against a woman. This is a women-specific victim-compensation scheme; a male victim is not eligible here and may instead be covered under the general state victim-compensation scheme.
• The claim rests on a crime outside the scheme's schedule — an ordinary property offence or a dispute with no bodily or sexual harm to a woman does not qualify.
• The applicant is not the victim herself and not a dependent of a woman who died as a result of the crime; a distant relative or an unrelated person cannot apply on someone's behalf without standing.

Compensation here is not conditional on a conviction. The criminal trial and the compensation are separate tracks, so a survivor need not wait for the case to end, and an acquittal does not by itself cancel the compensation. The Legal Services Authority can also recover an award later if it emerges that the claim was made on false or fabricated facts, so accuracy in the application protects the survivor.

What documents are required?

How to apply for compensation

1. Approach the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) in your district, or the State Legal Services Authority. On registration of an FIR for a covered offence, the police are also required to share the documentation with the Legal Services Authority, so a case may reach the DLSA even before the survivor applies.
2. Submit the application with your FIR copy, identity proof, medical records and bank details. Ask for a paralegal volunteer, who will help you fill and file the claim free of charge.
3. Seek interim relief if needed. You can ask for interim compensation of up to about Rs 10,000 or free medical treatment soon after the FIR, without waiting for the final decision.
4. Cooperate with the enquiry. The Legal Services Authority verifies the case and assesses the appropriate amount from the scheme's schedule.
5. Receive the compensation in your bank account once the authority passes its order.

Can I apply online?

Yes. In addition to the offline route through the DLSA or SLSA, applications can be made online through the National Legal Services Authority portal at nalsa.gov.in, using the victim-compensation option. Whichever route you use, the assessment and payment are handled by the Legal Services Authority, and the help of a paralegal volunteer remains free.

How do I check the status or get help?

For status and assistance, the District Legal Services Authority that registered your claim is the direct contact, and the Uttarakhand State Legal Services Authority, Nainital oversees the scheme statewide. Survivors can also reach the legal-services helpline 15100 for free legal aid. Every step; filing, the paralegal volunteer's help and the enquiry: is free; no official should ever ask a survivor for money to process a compensation claim.

Common reasons a claim is delayed or rejected, and how to fix them

• Missing FIR or medical records. These are the core proof; file the FIR and obtain the medical documentation promptly.
• Bank account not ready, compensation is paid to a bank account, so keep an active account and correct details on record.
• Case not a covered women-specific offence, such cases may belong under the general victim-compensation scheme instead; the DLSA can guide you.
• Incomplete final-stage documents, for final compensation, provide the charge sheet or court documents the authority asks for.

The scheme exists precisely so that a survivor is not left without means while the criminal justice process runs its course, so survivors are encouraged to approach the District Legal Services Authority early rather than waiting for the trial to conclude.