TN to set up board for widows, destitutes

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has decided to extend a helping hand to unmarried elderly women, destitute women and widows for their holistic development. An exclusive welfare board for widows and destitute women will be set up under the Social Welfare department to achieve this goal. The department has already selected 14 unofficial members across Tamil Nadu.

The board has been set up following an announcement to this effect by P Geetha Jeevan, Minister of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment, in the Assembly on September 2021. The board will address the issues faced by widows, women abandoned by husbands, unmarried elderly women and women from weaker sections of society, said a government order.

These women will be provided with education, health care, employment opportunities, participation in Self Help Groups (SHGs) and vocational training to improve their overall skills to equip them with secure living conditions.

The official members of the board include Minister Geetha Jeevan, who will act as its chairperson, apart from the secretary of the Social Welfare department, a member of Lok Sabha, an official from Crime Against Women and Children, TN Skill Development Department and an official from Women Development Corporation. Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi NVN Somu will also be an official board member. However, for selecting non-official board members, the department formed a selection committee and the positions were advertised online.

As per the selection committee process held in November last year, 14 members were selected out of 87 applications from districts like Salem, Chennai, Theni, Madurai, Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Erode and Thoothukudi.

The non-official members will include four widow representatives (1 SC, 1 ST and two from other communities), 2 women educationalists, 2 women entrepreneurs, 4 women NGO members and 2 award-winning women. The non-official members will serve for three years.