Mother Teresa Scheme a failure, claims NGO

Shimla, June 22 (UNI) An NGO today lamented at the functioning of the Mother Teresa Scheme, launched by the Himachal Pradesh Government last year, saying it had failed to come to the rescue of the needy owing to certain complexities.

While several applicants have to run from pillar to post to get the requisite certificates, a large section of single women, who are taking care of children orphaned within their families, are not covered under the scheme at all, Akal Nari Shakti Sangathan coordinator Nirmal said at a press conference here.

Recounting the woes of a 29 year-old widow of Beokheri village in Sirmaur district who had to apply for grant under the Scheme, she said had failed in procure an income certificate from the patwari for herself and two children for availing a sum of Rs 1,000 under the scheme.

In the meantime she died for some ailment without getting anything from the scheme.

Ms Nirmal said now that her children were being taken care of separately by here relatives, while the department concerned refused to accommodate her children under the Scheme.

She said this was not an isolated case. ''Certain clauses in the scheme need to be changed to accommodate the really deserving cases.'' The Akal Nari Shakti Sanghatan, which is associated with SUTRA, a leading NGO in the field of social uplift through rural action in HP, has already come out with a review report of the scheme for government's consideration as the scheme was launched after the Sangathan's efforts only.

She alleged that a total sum of Rs 6.00 crore was allocated for this scheme in the year 2006, but the implementing authority, the Social Welfare Department slept over the Scheme for nearly nine months (from April 2006 to December 2006) and in the month of January 2007, application forms were made available.

A lot of confusion as there was hardly any time left for the orientation of the field staff of the Department and Gram Panchayats, he said.

Ms Nirmal said the confusion was mainly in the definition of separated and deserted women and a large number of women faced procedural barriers in collecting documentary proof of their marital status.

Referring to lack of awareness about the scheme, she said gram Panchayats were completely unaware about it because of which the women were meted out much harassment.

On income front also, there was lot of confusion because certain single women were living with their parents, she added.

UNI