Bhopal: State women's commission slams govt's decision to provide financial aid to women suffering disability due to domestic violence

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): State Women's Commission chairperson Shobha Oza on Thursday slammed the state government's decision to provide financial assistance to women suffering disability due to domestic violence, citing that it was "impractical" and "added salt to the injury of victims".

The Madhya Pradesh cabinet had on Tuesday approved a scheme for providing financial assistance to women who have become handicapped due to domestic violence.

"The Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government's decision to provide financial assistance to women who turned divyaang (disabled) due to domestic violence, despite having empty coffers, is nothing but a jumla (false promise)," Oza said in a statement.

"It is a totally impractical decision and is like adding salt to the injury of women," she said.

The move also proves that the state government was trying to cover up for its failure of not being able to control the atrocities against women, she said.

Oza further said that no amount of compensation will be sufficient for a woman who was a victim of mental and physical torture.

Instead, it would have been better if the state government had taken some concrete and effective measures to curb crimes against women, she added.

Oza also criticised the state government for not allowing the women's commission to discharge its duties by getting it embroiled in a legal conflict since the state government changed in March 2020.

The Madhya Pradesh government had on Tuesday approved a scheme for providing financial assistance to women suffering disability due to domestic violence.

As per the scheme, women suffering 40 per cent disability will get financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh, while those whose disability is higher than 40 per cent will get Rs 4 lakh.

These women will also get residence-to-court transport expenses in case a legal process is underway, it was stated.