The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Village of widows looks to Government for succour

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 23, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Others

Village of widows looks to Government for succour

By Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao

MAHABUBABAD (WARANGAL DT.), MARCH 22. In Babunayak thanda, a tribal hamlet, each house has one or more widows. Having lost their husbands at an early age, they are forced to look for means to sustain themselves and their children all by themselves.

Going by the records, Mahabubabad revenue division has received the highest number of applications for widow pensions in the district. According to the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO), K. Damodar Reddy, there are 188 gram panchayats with around 30 widows in each. The district administration has been paying widow pensions to just 1,763 who constitute 20 per cent of the total applicants.

Forced into flesh trade

"Widows below 50 years get pensions from the Government. A majority of them in this division are between 20 and 35 years,'' the RDO said. They eke out a living by working as labourers and since there is no agricultural activity in the villages, a majority of them have to turn to other means such as housework or vending peanuts. Some have even been forced into the flesh trade. The incidence of AIDS cases in the division vouches for the fact.

The women in the socially backward communities, particularly the Lambada tribals, get married at a tender age. Due to alcohol consumption by the men, they are widowed at early age. And by that time, they are burdened with two or more children.

Teenaged children of these women are forced into work to supplement the efforts of their mothers. Mahabubabad being a busy commercial centre in the district, one can find children of these tribal women working as daily labourers in every shop and establishment.

An elderly man in the community and a retired teacher, Guguloth Hathiram Naik, said it was because of the cheap labour from these tribal children that many businessmen in the town were prospering. "You find a child in every shop here. It is unfortunate that the children who should spend their time happily are breaking their backs to support the family,'' he lamented.

Rehabilitation package

The RDO, Mr. Damodar Reddy said they were planning to come out with a special rehabilitation package exclusively for young widows under the Velugu project. "We will help them sustain themselves by offering vocational training and loans to set up small time enterprises,'' he added.

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