The misery of war widows in the North

- Jan 01, 2016

The northern provincial council health minister P. Sathyalingam said although four years has elapsed the living standard of the 42000 war widows in the Northern Province has not developed.

The health minister pointed out due to the absence of public servants and lack of funds the lives of the war widows have become deprived unable to increase their living standards.

The health minister said there is no budget available in the northern provincial council to spend for the wellbeing of the war widows. Recently a sum of Rs. 12.8 million which was allocated for the purchase of vehicles for the northern provincial council was used for this purpose.

Apart budget allocation no sufficient bureaucrats available at the provincial council to look for the betterment of the war widows. He said still there is response from the central government for the request made to enroll new staffs.

The health minister further said since majority of the war widows are disabled or handicapped they are in need of another person’s protection. Due to this reason majority of these war widows are living alone.

Without any income some widows are compelled to take any jobs and mostly there are women headed families, said the health minister. He said he has urged the central government to change this situation at least in the coming year.