Kerala Chief Minister, V.D. Satheesan, has indicated a review of the Women’s Safety Scheme introduced by the previous LDF government. He expressed concerns that the scheme was hurriedly launched before elections to sway women voters rather than genuinely benefit them. Satheesan clarified that his government is not scrapping the scheme but will investigate complaints about beneficiary selection and implementation before making a final decision.
The Chief Minister highlighted that the scheme was initiated by the previous government just a month before the Assembly elections were announced, with financial aid distributed on the day the Model Code of Conduct was enforced. He mentioned discrepancies in the beneficiary count, initially projected at 31.34 lakh and later revised to 16.4 lakh, raising doubts about the selection process.
Satheesan criticized the quick processing of applications by local body secretaries without proper verification, including checks for existing welfare pensions. Despite a budget allocation of Rs 1,950 crore, the future of the program will be determined after addressing the complaints received by the government. The Chief Minister also questioned the timing of the scheme’s launch by the previous government, which he viewed as a last-minute move before their term ended.
In a broader critique of the previous administration, Satheesan emphasized his government’s immediate actions to benefit women, such as approving free bus travel and increasing remuneration for various workers. He asserted his government’s commitment to women’s welfare, contrasting it with the alleged neglect of ASHA workers’ demands by the previous regime.
