Powerful Outrage: Pune’s Waste Workers Demand Justice as Sisters’ Votes Overrule in Ladki Bahin Yojana
For four decades, 72-year-old Abida Arjun Baswant has relied on waste collection in Pune’s Dhayari and Kothrud areas to make ends meet. However, declining health now threatens her ability to work. When Maharashtra introduced the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana last year, offering financial aid to women aged 21-65 with annual household incomes under Rs 2.5 lakh, Baswant hoped for relief. Unfortunately, she was deemed ineligible due to her age.
Baswant’s son, a gig worker, has been bedridden for three months after an accident, intensifying their financial strain. “We live hand to mouth,” Baswant laments, questioning the scheme’s age restriction. With Maharashtra’s elections in 2024, the state’s government lauded the program for its impact on women voters but post-election scrutiny looms over the scheme’s 24.3 million beneficiaries.
Like Baswant, Annapurna Attkare, 70, from the Panmala slums in the Parvati constituency, continues her work as a waste collector. She’s the sole provider for her family, responsible for her mentally challenged son after losing her husband and children. “Missing a day of work means no food,” Attkare shares. Despite the exclusion, both women consistently exercise their right to vote. “Next time, don’t ask for votes from mothers,” Attkare states, alluding to the scheme’s focus on “sisters.”
In Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, 1,200 out of 8,000 waste workers are over 65. These elderly workers protested their exclusion last December, even traveling to Mumbai to meet state minister Madhuri Misal, but without success. Ujjwala Gaikwad, 67, criticizes the irony of being valued during elections but excluded from vital aid.
For many like Baswant and Attkare, the physical demands of their jobs are untenable. Attkare endures severe pain, using belts to support her waist and knees, while Baswant suffers from skin conditions requiring frequent medical attention. “If my body fails, I fear I’ll have no choice but to beg,” Baswant sighs, underscoring the urgent need for inclusive support.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/barred-from-ladki-bahin-yojana-waste-workers-in-pune-lash-out-9792608/
Category : Cities,Pune
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Publish Date: 2025-01-22 11:19:00
