Non-implementation of welfare schemes for women and children on Thursday irked the Delhi High Court which came down on the Centre and city Government saying it was not the job of the court to ensure that benefits reached the deserving.
“You (counsel for Centre and Delhi Government) also know how little is the regulation. This is hard reality,” a Bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Anu Malhotra said.
It said, “instead of the court interfering in the works of Governments, they themselves should look whether their schemes are reaching the poor people in need or not”.
“How much we can do,” the Bench remarked and observed it cannot be sorted out unless the Government authorities and the petitioners here put their heads together and chalk out a plan on how the schemes must be made available to women and
children.
The court was hearing bunch of petitions alleging that the women and children were not getting benefit of the welfare schemes like Anganwadi, Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana, Janani Suraksha Yojana and the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram which were floated for them.
The Bench asked the counsel for the petitioners, whether they have any data on who all were getting the benefits and who all were left out. Noting that the counsel was not able to answer, the Bench said, “How can it monitor or pass any order, unless there is any data available with them. Why don’t you (petitioner) do some research and come to the court, so that we are in a position to pass some direction. We keep on struggling with the facts, which is totally a waste of judicial time,” it said.
The Bench asked the counsel of the petitioners to provide details of the women holding account numbers in order to get the benefits.The government schemes ensure that all mothers and their children have access to a range of services, including pregnancy care, medical care during delivery, and immunisations besides others.