Baramati : Jui Hivarkar, the Sarpanch of Shirsufal, firmly expressed that single women do not need sympathy from society; rather, they deserve respect. She made these remarks while speaking on the occasion of ‘Single Women’s Respect Day’ (Ekal Mahila Sanman Din), which was organized by the Shirsufal Gram Panchayat on Tuesday.

During the special program held at the Shirsufal Gram Panchayat hall, several single women from the village were honored for their resilience. Social worker Kachara Shinde was also present at the event and guided the attendees about various government welfare schemes, including the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana. During an open discussion, the women raised a critical issue, demanding the cancellation of the current rule in the widow pension scheme that terminates benefits once a child reaches 25 years of age.

Taking immediate note of this pressing grievance, Sarpanch Hivarkar assured the women that she would officially correspond with Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar to resolve the policy matter at the government level. In a symbolic and moving gesture during the event, the women left their green handprints on a painting of a banyan tree, sending out a powerful message that they remain an integral and inseparable part of society. The program saw active participation from Anganwadi workers and local residents, including Ranjana Shinde, Sneha Hivarkar, Sonali Shinde, Tai Gawade, Sandhya Ghayatadke, and Manisha Thorat.