Covid-19 in Delhi: DCW survey identifies 791 women widowed due to virus
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) said it has carried out a social survey of these 791 women in order to assist the Delhi government in the rehabilitation process. The survey was carried out on the grassroots level by the commission through its Mahila Panchayat network, according to news agency PTI.
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has identified 791 women who were widowed owing to coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic in the national capital, and has submitted a report to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government for their rehabilitation. The DCW said it is in the process of identifying more widows.
The DCW said it has carried out a social survey of these 791 women in order to assist the Delhi government in the rehabilitation process. The survey was carried out on the grassroots level by the commission through its Mahila Panchayat network, according to news agency PTI.
“The past few months have been very difficult for humanity, especially India which was ravaged by the third wave of the Corona pandemic. The entire country came in the grip of the disease and several thousands died. In Delhi too, hundreds of women were widowed and several children became orphans,” the DCW said in a letter to the Delhi government.
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Of the 791 identified women surveyed, it was found that 774 (97.85%) have children. “Further it was seen that while the majority of women, i.e 384 women have 1-2 children, a large section of them - i.e 360 widows (almost 45.51%) have around 3-5 children. Thirty widows have more than 5 children,” the DCW said in the letter.
When it comes to the age group, the DCW’s social survey showed that 734 women fall in the age group of 18-60 years and the rest are senior citizens.
As many as 721 women are homemakers while the rest are employed as domestic workers, labourers, small business owners, private and government employees, it said.
The survey showed that 28.57% widows have no income source and are dependent on their husbands financially while 60.93% of women’s family income at present is ₹15,000 or less every month.
It was also found that 597 widows had not been vaccinated against Covid-19 till this survey was carried out.
The DCW also said the social survey will increase the access of the identified woman to the benefits of the “Mukhyamantri Covid-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana,” a social security scheme for families affected by the pandemic.
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Launched by the Delhi government on July 6, the scheme provides an ex-gratia of ₹50,000 to families who have lost their loved ones to Covid-19 while an additional pension of ₹2,500 per month will be provided if the deceased was the family’s sole breadwinner.
“We got our Mahila Panchayat teams to go door-to-door to identify women who got widowed and were able to identify 791 such women. We are sending a detailed social survey report to the government so that the benefits of the scheme can be passed on to these women. Also, these women should be vaccinated on priority,” DCW Chief Swati Maliwal was quoted as saying by PTI.