Two major announcements of the Telangana government in recent days, to extend pensions to women who remained single after they were deserted by their spouses and the distribution of ‘KCR kits’ for newborn children and their mothers will be launched on June 2 — the State formation day.
This was declared by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao at Monday’s Collectors conference. As for identification of ‘ single women’, Mr. Rao felt it was not easy, but one of the criterion could be if they were deserted by spouses for a year or more. Their identification in villages was easy because the population was closeknit as it was small in size. But, not so in urban centres where people did not know each other intimately. He asked the Collectors to treat pensions for single women as a priority of the government.
The KCR kits come packed with soaps useful for mother and child, baby oil, baby bed, mosquito net, dresses, sarees, handbag, towels, napkins, powder, diapers, shampoo and toys. The cost of kits is about ₹ 2,000 but the mothers will get ₹ 12,000 in phases as part of an overall scheme which will also be launched on June 2. If the women deliver baby girls, they will get an additional ₹ 1,000.
Mr. Rao explained that the KCR kits scheme was aimed to extend financial assistance to poor pregnant women in pre and post-natal stages. Top priority should be given for implementation of the scheme with a view to increase institutional deliveries. Registration of women should begin from 12th week of pregnancy, he said.
