While traditionally, our society has been defining family as one comprising of a husband, wife and at least one child, things are evolving. In what seems like a milestone legislation, the Tamil Nadu government now recognises single women as a ‘family’. Whether they have separated from their husbands or parents, single women can now avail benefits that don’t require them to be dependent on another person for the same. This means that single women in Tamil Nadu can now apply for ration cards.
Before this legislation was passed, unmarried women were not eligible to apply for ration cards independently, as their status was rather defined by their parents. Similarly, a married woman couldn’t apply for a ration card on her own, unless she is divorced.
However, this move now allows women to apply for a ration without legally separating from their husbands. This empowering legislation now sees women as self-sufficient and not dependent on other family members.
According to the new norms, single women in Tamil Nadu will have the same criteria to fulfil as other families applying for a ration card. This includes having a kitchen, a self-declaration of living alone, an Aadhar card, and a gas bill. The house will be audited by a revenue inspector.
“When a husband is unwilling to remove the name of his wife, who lives separately, the woman is losing her food security guaranteed under the Constitution. Hence, based on the self-declaration of the woman, followed by a field verification report, Civil Supplies zonal officers can remove her name from the husband's ration card and issue her a fresh one,” read an official statement.
S Valentina, the state President of All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) said this legislation provide women with food security if their husbands remove their name from the ration card. It will also help women to avail other benefits such as getting school admissions for their children.
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