Status of Widow, Divorced and Deserted Women
As per the 2001 census, there are 34.3 million widows and 2.34 million divorced / separated women in the country.
This information was given by Smt. Krishna Tirath, Minister of State for Women and Child Development (Independent Charge) in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today. She further said that the Ministry of WCD is implementing following three schemes to protect the interest of widows, divorced and deserted women:
i. Swadhar and Short Stay Homes for relief and rehabilitation of women in difficult circumstances.
ii. Support for Training & Employment Programme (STEP), Skill Upgradation Training is provided toassetless and Below Poverty Line women.
Apart from these, Ministry of Rural Development is also administering the following three schemes
(i) Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) under which pension is provided to a widow in the age group of 40-64 years and living below poverty line @ Rs.200/- per month;
(ii) Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme under which a pension of Rs.200/- per month is provided to the persons above sixty five years of age belonging to BPL including women; and
(iii) NREGA, under which willing persons including women are entitled to guaranteed 100 days employment during a year.
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is also administering an Integrated Programme for Older Persons (IPOP) which is being implemented since 1992 with the objective of improving the quality of life of senior citizens including women by providing basic amenities like shelter, food medical care etc.
State-wise number of Widow, Divorced and Deserted Women in the country:
|
S. No. |
Name of the State |
Number of Widowed (Female) |
Number of Divorced/Separated women |
|
1. |
Andhra Pradesh |
3270964 |
261525 |
|
2. |
Arunachal Pradesh |
25639 |
2830 |
|
3. |
Assam |
869005 |
68619 |
|
4 |
A & N Islands |
8461 |
833 |
|
5. |
Bihar |
1887575 |
35550 |
|
6. |
Chandigarh |
16788 |
917 |
|
7. |
Chhattisgarh |
771106 |
90985 |
|
8. |
Daman & Diu |
5511 |
421 |
|
9. |
Dadra & Nagar Haveli |
4979 |
521 |
|
10. |
Delhi |
305940 |
13541 |
|
11. |
Goa |
69052 |
1835 |
|
12. |
Gujarat |
1614413 |
105753 |
|
13. |
Haryana |
533974 |
11410 |
|
14. |
Himachal Pradesh |
229664 |
8336 |
|
15. |
Jammu & Kashmir |
196604 |
11072 |
|
16. |
Jharkhand |
822827 |
44762 |
|
17. |
Karnataka |
2322843 |
145046 |
|
18. |
Kerala |
1690508 |
196085 |
|
19. |
Lakshadweep |
2136 |
551 |
|
20. |
Madhya Pradesh |
1752228 |
115807 |
|
21. |
Maharashtra |
3726735 |
326198 |
|
22. |
Manipur |
59459 |
8068 |
|
23. |
Mizoram |
20373 |
13181 |
|
24. |
Meghalaya |
59604 |
23927 |
|
25. |
Nagaland |
26516 |
6008 |
|
26. |
Orissa |
1370123 |
98196 |
|
27. |
Punjab |
662113 |
22595 |
|
28. |
Pondicherry |
53040 |
3865 |
|
29. |
Rajasthan |
1589726 |
49544 |
|
30. |
Sikkim |
10005 |
2366 |
|
31. |
Tamil Nadu |
2976137 |
249356 |
|
32. |
Tripura |
123817 |
13383 |
|
33. |
Uttar Pradesh |
3763168 |
112855 |
|
34. |
Uttaranchal |
293331 |
9645 |
|
35. |
West Bengal |
3155365 |
287344 |
|
|
Total |
34289729 |
2342940 |
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