Chennai: Despite schemes and policies the number of widows and destitute in the Tamil Nadu are not coming down, thanks to the increasing death rate of male members due to alcoholism.
As a ripple effect more widows are now supported in Tamil Nadu under various schemes. “As on date, there will be at least 15 to 20 lakh women, who are destitute or widow due to alcoholism in their family,” a top official at state social welfare department told Deccan Chronicle.
Pointing out that the state in co-ordination with the Centre had been implementing four types of schemes aimed to support widows in the state, the official said that as per the state policy, the number of beneficiaries should reduce due to young widow remarriage assistances and the demise of existing beneficiaries.
But the numbers are marginally increasing, particularly, in the backward districts such as Cuddalore, Villupuram, Dharmapuri, Ramanathapuram and Ariyalur.
Revenue investigations reveal that alcoholism is a common menace among married men.
Under the Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme, the state supports maximum number of widows. The number of beneficiaries in this scheme in 2014 was more than 6 lakh and in the past two years, this number reduced to 5.8 and 5.5 lakh marks, but in contrary, the state supported schemes like Destitute Widows Pension Scheme (DWP) and Deserted Wives Pension Scheme (DDWP) are recording a marginal increase in the number of beneficiaries, the official said.
In 2014-15, about 3.89 lakh women were beneficiaries under the DWP scheme and now this number has increased to 4.25 lakh in 2016, the official said. Also, the state accounts for about 1.5 lakh deserted wives.
“The records put forth by officials will be minimal and the actual figures could be more,” said Madras high court lawyer N. Udayakumar. Remarriages, divorces and live in relationships are common in urban areas, but the rural areas continue to suffer with social taboo and there is a need for more women empowerment and education.
Only through social reforms the number of widows and destitute can be brought down and TN has a long way to go, he added.
