New Delhi, Feb 4 (IANS): The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development on Thursday said that more than 11,000 people have been convicted in three years under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso Act) 2012.

In a reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, the Centre said fast track courts have also been set up in all states to hear such cases.

NCP MP Dr Fauzia Khan sought information about the number of criminals convicted in the states under the Act and the special courts made for it.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani gave a written answer to this question and also provided state-wise figures of convicted criminals between 2014 and 2016.

In the written reply, Smriti Irani said 2,686 accused in 2014, 4,567 in 2015 and 3,859 in 2016 were convicted under the Pocso Act. Thus, in three years, the court convicted a total of 11,112 accused under the Act.

A majority of the convicted were reported from Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. For instance, in Madhya Pradesh, 848 accused were convicted in 2014, 944 in 2015 and 792 in 2016. In Uttar Pradesh, 410 were convicted in 2014, 1,241 in 2015 and 1,003 in 2016.

Smriti Irani said 28 states were allocated Rs 140 crore in 2019-20 for setting up 1,023 fast track special courts, including 389 special Posco courts to speed up the hearing of cases related to rape and other Pocso Act violations.

She said in the financial year 2020-21, an amount of Rs 89.89 crore was disbursed in '21 and as of December 2020, there are 609 fast track courts, including 331 special Pocso courts.