Asha Das, Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development of Human Resources and Development Ministry, who had had a detailed discussion with senior officials of the State Government, expressed surprise at the fact that ``when widows from other regions are living in their own states and homes why widows from Bengal should be sent to Vrindavan and Mathura?'' The State Government has been asked to take measures to prevent it. Das informed the State officials that according to a preliminary report over 16,000 widows, most of them from Bengal, are living in Vrindavan. She said only ``religious sentiment and attachment' should not be taken as the sole reason influencing widows to settle down in Vrindavan and Mathura.

It is learnt that the State Government officials, who admitted the fact that ``no survey seems to have been made by the Government of WestBengal or by any agency,'' informed Das that they would soon take up the issue and launch an awareness campaign to dissuade widows from leaving homes and settling down in Vrindavan and Mathura.

The State told Das that ``After husbands' death they tend to feel lonely and look for associations with whom they can share their woes and experience.''Another reason could be that ``even the members of the family of the widows persuade them to take diksha (the ritual of initiating into a monastic life) and start living in Vrindavan and Mathura.''

Admitting that this attitude of looking at ``widows as burdens'' cannot be fought legally, a senior officer of the administration here said ``we have plans to launch an awareness campaign to make widows realise their social and economic rights.''

According to officials, Das was told that the pension for widows, which is only Rs 300 per month at present, would be increased immediately. Das was also told that the Government would ``counsel widows against leaving the homeand soon take up the plan to train them in different income-generating activities.''