IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, July 19: Concerned at the miseries of the widows who are abandoned by their families, the Supreme Court has asked the central government to make a scheme to promote their remarriages. Resenting over the widows’ issues, the apex court also said that centre’s policy has not addressed the issue of empowerment of such women too.
A bench of Justices Madan B Lakur and Deepak Gupta on Tuesday said that the government has failed in uplifting the living conditions of the widows despite launching many schemes for them; hence they are compelled to live in places like Vrindavan as not being owned by their families.
The court emphasized that the government must work to remove the stigma of widowhood prevailed in the society that restricts them to resume their life independently and respectfully again. The bench also directed the govt. to update the national women welfare policy so the issues of the empowerment, malnutrition of widows can be addressed properly.
“There is no proposal for remarriage of widows, particularly of young widows. Because of prevailing social ethos against widows, we have to encourage them to remarry. There is no such scheme framed by you in your various policies. It must be considered,” the SC bench was quoted as saying by Times of India.
The apex court was hearing a plea sought to give directions to the centre and the Uttar Pradesh government to rehabilitate and provide necessary facilities to widows in Vrindavan in the state and other parts of the country. The court has been monitoring the implementation of government’s schemes for widows.
The court has also decided to constitute a committee comprising of eminent social workers that can examine all the schemes being run by the Centre and also recommend suggestions to address the problems of widows. It has asked the govt. to suggest names for the committee.
According to the Census of India 2011, the country had 5.6 crore widows in 2011 that constituted 4.6% of the total population. While in 2001 the total number of widows in the country was 18.5 lakh (0.7% of the total population) that means the number of widows increased between 2001 and 2011 tremendously.
As per the census data, 1.94 lakh i.e. 0.45% of total widows are child widows (age group of 10-19 years) despite child marriages are banned in the country. While the widows of age groups 20-39 years and 40-59 years are 9% and 32 % respectively. Rest 58% are above 60 years.
The apex court order, if implemented honestly, can bring a social revolution in the country and millions of women facing violation of their rights at the hands of social stigma will be able to live a free life of their choice.