The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Tiruchi News : `Vital role for women SHGs in transformation of society'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 20, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

`Vital role for women SHGs in transformation of society'

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI, SEPT. 19 . The chairperson of Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women, V. Vasanthi Devi, today expressed grave concern over the callous attitude of officialdom in the State towards women panchayat presidents.

Talking to presspersons here, Dr. Vasanthi Devi said there had been instances of women panchayat presidents visiting panchayat offices only twice or thrice a year. "Unless they get over the limitations imposed by their families, they cannot assert themselves," she observed, adding that they were not able to function independently also because there was no clear devolution of financial or administrative powers to panchayats, unlike in Karnataka, West Bengal and Maharashtra.

She saw a pivotal role for women self-help groups for societal transformation and felt that the time was high they got beyond their financial manoeuvrability. Also, the Government should ensure market for the goods they manufactured by not only reserving certain products but also avoiding import of the same.

Though the administration was, by and large, acting well on the petitions forwarded by the Commission, the lack of response to the petitions related to police high-handedness was intriguing. However, the Commission, in the absence of its own investigative machinery, and administrative limitations, had to depend substantially on the police for enquiring into the petitions. The Commission was reviewing the disposal of petitions district-wise, she said, noting that Tiruchi, with 144 petitions out of 528 in the State, accounted for the highest number of cases. Out of the total number of cases, 72 petitions pertained to allegations against policemen, she stated.

At the State level, a sharp increase in the number of petitions has been recorded. From 110 in 2001, it rose to 295 in 2002 and to 528 in 2003. For the current year, the Commission had so far received over 600 petitions, she said, adding that the petitions had been brought under classifications such as family problems, work related problems, property dispute, sexual harassment, rape, and child abuse.

Dr. Vasanthi Devi said that she had brought to the notice of the district administration a few pathetic cases. While one was on the sufferings faced by a Dalit family due to "foisting of false cases" on womenfolk in the family, the rest were dowry-related cases.

The district administration had ordered an RDO enquiry into the complaint of the Dalit family. The Commission would, on its part, take up the matter with the Home Secretary, she added.

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