Dole for single women is a short-term measure
Along with providing pension, Telangana must educate them, give property rights and skills to get employment
The Telangana government’s scheme of ₹1,000 pension for single women, not covered by any other social security scheme, is welcome . It is recognition of the growing number of women who remain single because of various responsibilities such as bringing up siblings, working, not having the finances to get married or being abandoned. Though the concern for widows and senior citizens has been recognised through welfare schemes, the recognition of single women for benefits is a new phenomenon.
Though ₹1,000 is not a large amount considering the rising cost of living, it is a beginning. The rub is, however, in implementation because accessing government welfare schemes is like running an obstacle race. Married women of over 18 years have to provide proof of separation for a year to be eligible. If documents are not available, the tehsildar has to ascertain their status. In the case of unmarried women they have to be 30 years in rural areas and 35 in urban areas and their annual household income should be less than ₹1.5 lakh and ₹2 lakh respectively. If the beneficiaries remarry, get a permanent government job or improve their financial status, the benefits are withdrawn. So the marital and financial status of the beneficiaries has to be updated. Many women in rural India are illiterate and they will have to be listed for the new benefit. They have to deal with touts and administrative staff. So if these hurdles can be dealt with, pension for single women would be a beginning for a better life for them.
The other challenge is accessing money from post offices. At Gurgaon, many of the old who descend on the post office on pension day cannot walk or see. Many are illiterate. Sometimes they are accompanied by a son who waits in the queues. At times there is not enough money in the post office kitty and the pensioners go back. The post office staff, burdened with work, has no time to give individual attention to old women. Space in post offices is limited and there are no separate queues for women or senior citizens. Telangana has said the pension will be disbursed by the postal department after biometric or iris verification. This could only add to the chaos. Though small, the joy pension brings, is visible. It gives women self-respect and a measure of independence. But the system of disbursal has to be streamlined.
Finally, let us not forget that the best way to secure the single woman’s future, especially if she is just 18 or 30 years, is to educate her, provide property rights and a skill so that she can earn and join the mainstream for a meaningful life. That should be next goal of the Telangana government.