SHILLONG: Speculations are rife about who will come to power after March 3 but concerns still remain over the overall empowerment of women in Mawlai, the constituency which has maximum women voters in the state.
During the visit to the polling stations in Mawlai, long queues of women voters were visible.
The difference between male and female voters in Mawlai is 3,778.
The number of male voters is 19,443 and that of female 23,221. The lone female candidate is Sarita Lyngdoh of PDF, who is the wife of former MLA Founder Cajee.
The women voters wanted some improvement in their life in the coming years.
A woman voter said the plight of women has no end as they have to fetch water due to the prevailing scarcity in several localities.
Another cause for concern is the large number of single mothers who need support.
Several women interviewed said many government schemes are not reaching the constituency.
Many are not aware of the Integrated Basin Development programme and the schemes under the Social Welfare Department.
There are women from parts of Mawlai who work as causal labourers and domestic helps, among others.
Adequate healthcare too eludes many families.
The headman of Mawlai Mawdatbaki, Bestar R Kharmujai, said the main problem is that since Mawlai is a census town, it is neither considered a town nor a rural area.
“There are so many schemes from the Central Government, but we are not being able avail of them due to the nature of Mawlai being census town,” he said.
According to the headman, there are only a few who are availing of widow and old age pensions from the Centre.
He said though the issue of water scarcity was taken up with the authorities, there was no follow-up action.
Kharmujai deplored the lack of adequate health facilities in the area as cases of cancer and other ailments are on the rise.
