Assam plans pension for triple talaq 'victims'

GUWAHATI: Assam health and education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday that the state government will provide pension and skill development training to Muslim women who are 'victims' of triple talaq, in a bid to make them self-reliant.

"The skill development training will be imparted to all women divorcees so that they acquire gainful employment. But for Muslim women divorcees, we have proposed special support by providing pension during the training period. This is because unlike other women divorcees, their Muslim counterparts do not get any alimony or support from the former husband," Sarma said.

The proposal for providing pension to Muslim women divorcees has been recommended in the revised draft population policy, which has been renamed as 'draft population and women empowerment policy of Assam.' The draft policy will be placed in the assembly session in August this year, Sarma added.

The objective of the proposed policy is to arrest the population growth in the state through socio-economic and medical interventions.