Residents from five tribal villages in Maharashtra’s Nashik have raised important concerns over access to government documents to be able to apply forthe recently announced Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, a scheme that promises to provide a monthly allowance of ₹1,500 to married, divorced and destitute women in the 21 to 65 years age group when the annual family income does not exceed ₹2.5 lakh.
“The scheme has multiple challenges in terms of accessibility for the women in rural areas of Maharashtra,” Laxmikant Jadhav of the Nashik-based NGO Better Livelihood and Education through Fundamental Studies, which works for anaemia-free women’s empowerment, said.
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“To apply for the scheme, the applicant needs to have certain documents, including an Aadhaar card, birth certificate and ration card, which many do not have, as well as a bank account. All these women for whom the scheme is meant first need to get their documents in place. The local administration can play an important role in assisting women to access the necessary documents, so that they can apply for the scheme,” Mr. Jadhav said.
Mr. Jadhav emphasised the need to address the prevailing anaemia crisis among women in rural Maharashtra. “The scheme does not mention the important issue of regular blood screening camps that can trace the prevalence of anaemia among women. Anaemia cannot be tackled by issuing ₹1,500 monthly allowance to women. In fact, the amount is insufficient to meet the nutritional needs of women,” he said.
Tribal women from 300 households in the Take Harsha village of Trimbakeshwar tehsil in Nashik district have been demanding a nutrition kit be provided along with regular check-ups at ration centres, making them accessible to all.
“How can ₹1,500 be enough to support a woman financially? This amount is not even sufficient to start a small-scale business. We need grants, training and credit facilities for women so that they can become financially independent. We also have doubts about the duration of this scheme, and for how long the government plans to provide it. We need a long-term solution to achieve financial independence,” 30-year-old Sonali Vijay Niragude, who has suffered from anaemia from a very young age, said. Ms. Niragude is the mother of two boys and a girl, and her husband works as housekeeping staff at a hotel in Trimbakeshwar.
According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019-20), 55.4% of non-pregnant women in the 15 to 49 years age group in Nashik are anaemic; 73.4% pregnant women in the 15 to 49 years age group are anaemic; 56.2% of all women in the 15 to 49 years age group, and in the 15-19 years age group are anaemic.
Tribal women from 300 households in Take Harsha village of Trimbakeshwar tehsil in Nashik district demand a nutrition kit and regular anaemia check-ups at ration centres accessible to all | Photo Credit: Purnima Sah
Eligibility under scheme
Eligible women are required to have an Aadhar card or ration card as proof of domicile, and a bank account in their name. Under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, women born outside Maharashtra and married to men domiciled in the State can present their husband’s birth certificate or school leaving certificate to avail the scheme.
Applicants require an income certificate verifying their annual family income does not exceed ₹2.5 lakh, facilitated online by Anganwadi sevikas or gram sevaks. in rural areas (and by Anganwadi sevikas and ward officers in urban areas).
A yellow or orange ration card can waive the requirement for an income certificate. One unmarried woman from each family is also eligible for the scheme.
Final approval is granted by a committee chaired by the District Collector, the government order says. Persons associated with any government machinery, receiving government pension, or benefiting from other government schemes exceeding ₹1,500 per month are ineligible.
Published - July 07, 2024 06:40 pm IST
