The Maharashtra Government passed a resolution on Thursday directing the National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) to aid and arrange for the distribution of monthly compensation and ration to the sex workers in Maharashtra without requiring any proof of identity from them.
The decision follows the Supreme Court’s directive to States that appropriate steps should be taken to aid sex workers whose livelihoods have been affected by the COVID-19 lockdown.
The State Government has resolved to provide monetary assistance to the sex workers in Maharashtra for the months of October to December 2020. The resolution also states (in Marathi):
“NACO should arrange to provide Rs. 5000/- per month to women whose livelihood depends through sex work and Rs. 2500/- to their children, if any, without insisting on proof of identity.“
The resolution by the Government came in light of the orders of the Supreme Court dated September 21, 2020, and October 28, 2020, in the matter of Budhadev Karmaskar v. State of West Bengal.
The Supreme Court had directed all the States to take appropriate steps to provide monetary assistance to sex workers whose livelihoods have been affected by the lockdown imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The State department then forwarded the proposal to the Chief Minister’s Assistance Fund, which has granted an amount of over Rs. 51 crores for monetary aid of sex workers in Maharashtra.
