Rural Women Voters Debate: Have Social Welfare Schemes Worked?

In one voice, rural women in Rajasthan said they want a government that is pro-poor. With a growing agrarian crisis, livelihood is the need of the hour for women in rural Rajasthan. A hope for the rural poor is MNREGA which promised 100 days of employment in villages. But women say while the scheme is working, more work days and timely wage payments are needed under MNREGA. Women also want better health care in villages. Most villagers have to go to referral hospitals in nearby town to access health care. Widow pension at Rs 500 a month is not enough to sustain families, they say. Voters want rations increased under the food security act. Currently, each family gets 5 kg of wheat per person per month. In one voice women from different villages in Rajasthan who had gathered for the ekal nari sammelan in Jaipur, organised by an NGO, said they want a government in the coming elections that is accountable and sensitive to the poor.