Single mothers included as beneficiary in assistance scheme

The Meghalaya Cabinet today approved an amendment to the Chief Minister's Scheme for Social Assistance to include single-mothers as one of the beneficiaries.
Currently the scheme is aimed at providing financial assistance to infirms, widows and persons with disabilities, but not single mothers.
"We have approved the amendment of the guidelines in respect of the Chief Minister's Scheme for Social Assistance to infirms, widows and the persons with disabilities," Chief Minister Mukul Sangma told reporters after the Cabinet meeting here.
The chief minister said previously the state government was challenged with the fact that the issue of single mothers did not come under the definition of widow.

The sole intention of the amendment is to provide assistance from the government to single mothers who have to face challenges and responsibilities of upbringing their children, he said.
The Cabinet also approved the increase of the margin of family income of those who are eligible to avail the scheme from Rs 12,000 to RS 36,000 per annum.