Single Mothers’ Perspectives on Social Welfare Programs for Women in Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Objective: The study aims to examine the awareness of assistance policies and schemes for women among single mothers.  Therefore, the current study concentrates on demographic profile of single mothers and to examine the awareness, accessibility, and effectiveness of schemes and welfare policies among rural single mothers.   Methods: The research employed a quantitative and descriptive research design to examine 230 rural single mothers from the Gudiyattam Division, Vellore District. The responses are gathered using semi-structured questionnaires and interview schedules, and the data are analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).   Result and Conclusion: The study rejects the hypothesis because education plays a significant role in shaping an individual's pursuit of knowledge about the various welfare schemes instituted specifically for rural women. As a result, women must be educated at the grassroots level about these welfare schemes and policies for better survival in society, and policymakers must implement steps to raise the level of education for women in the nation.   Implications of the research: Awareness of the scheme is a crucial metric for determining the success of any programme. Even the utilisation rate of the programme is extremely low. Therefore, researching large samples of single mothers is necessary to identify their level of awareness and to benefit from the schemes.