Many widows apprehensive about moving to Krishna Kutir

New 1000-bed home at Vrindavan

Vrindavan: The sprawling 1000-bed Krishna Kutir in Vrindavan, which was inaugurated on Friday, currently has only 23 occupants, but many widows are apprehensive about moving to the home as they say it is too far from the city and it will restrict their movement.

Krishna Kutir was inaugurated by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi, but widows present in the audience said they were not ready to move into this "jail".

"We will not live here. We have our temples, our Krishna in Vrindavan. We do not want to move to this locality," said Phulan Devi, a 62-year-old widow who has been living at Chetan ashram for the past nine years.

Many of them believe that the centre located on the outskirts of Vrindavan would restrict their movement and prevent them from frequently going to Vrindavan to pray.

Another 82-year-old widow, Sushila Kamal, said she was too old to start over again and wanted to continue with her life in the Vrindavan ashram.

The Union minister tried to allay their fears and said the facility would be run by widows and they could come and leave whenever they want.

"This facility is twice the size of a five-star hotel and is equipped with all modern facilities," she said.

She also assured the widows that the perception that it would act as a jail for them is wrong. "They can come and leave whenever they want.

There is no compulsion to stay here. Our aim to build this facility was to ensure the women could have a decent life," she said.

She urged local MP and actress Hema Malini to ensure that there is proper maintenance of the home so that it remains a safe and comfortable place for the widows.

She also urged the centre management to ensure that temple and garden committees are formed that involve the widows.

Gandhi said she has asked the district magistrate to start an e-rickshaw service that would help in easing their movement to the city.

The women would also be given a pocket money to stay in the centre, she said. "It is a win-win situation for them.

They would get to learn skill development that would help them earn their livelihood," L S Verma, the manager of the facility, said.

He also said they were trying to allay the apprehensions of the widows by spreading awareness.

"We are putting up posters, we are telling them how things can get better and they will not need to beg anymore," he said, noting it would take some time for the widows to realise its utility.

Soumya Kumari, a 45-year-old from Ranchi, was one of the women who moved in the centre, but she was hopeful that it would help her get back on her feet and believed that she could make the place her home.

"I always wanted to learn to stitch and this place would help me with that," said Kumari She moved here 12 years back at an age of 33.

Gandhi also said a brand should be created through the skill development programmes that will motivate the widows to learn the skills taught here and make a living out of it.

'Krishna Kutir' has been developed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development under the 'Swadhar Greh' scheme.

It has been constructed on 1.4 hectares of land through the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC), at a cost of nearly Rs 57 crore.

The facility is also equipped with a large modern kitchen and a skill-cum-training centre.

The centre has 100 room and 200 bathrooms and equipped with amenities like ramps and lifts for senior citizens and differently-abled people.

The building's construction has been funded by the Centre and will be managed by the state government, according to a WCD official.

The number of widows living in the Vrindavan is estimated to be around 3,000. Currently, there are five other government-run homes in the town.

The shelter home will jointly be operated by the ministry and the state government.

While the Centre will provide food, medicine, clothing and other related stuff, power supply, sewage, drinking water and cooking gas facilities will be arranged by the state government.

However, despite all these facilities, the widows are apprehensive of the home.

Many believe that the location of the centre would prevent them from frequently going to Vrindavan to pray.

A WCD official said the government is trying to allay their fears and has made provision of e-rickshaw service to take them to cities.