SC slams Centre, states over rehabilitation of widows

New Delhi, Jan 30 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday slammed the Central and state governments for their failure to bring a comprehensive action plan for rehabilitation of widows who are forced to live a life of destitution after being abandoned by their families.

The division bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta asked the Central government to instruct all the state governments to secure information on the rehabilitation of widows and prepare an action plan.

Holding the authorities were not serious on rehabilitation of widows and were avoiding taking responsibility, the bench said: "Now it is enough... it is your responsibility to do something for them. Everyone wants to avoid their responsibility and puts the blame on others for not working but nobody wants to do work." 

"If the court gives certain order to do something; then it is panned by the authorities saying that court wants to rule the country," it added.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by an NGO highlighting the miserable life of widows after being abandoned by their family in holy places like Vrindavan.

Posting the matter for further hearing on February 7, it asked the Centre to come up with a common action plan within a week.