The government's policy of Rs 50,000 reward to those marrying widows has raised the hackles of single women.

A delegation of single women, including widows, in Baglung district submitted a memorandum to the chief district officer on Friday in which they said the government's scheme undermines the dignity of women and that it should be scrapped.

In the memo addressed to the Finance Minister, the women also stated that the bounty scheme will promote marriages with widows simply for monetary gain and this will ultimately subject women to new forms of discrimination.

The government had introduced the controversial policy through the budget 2009/10. Likewise, the government has also announced a reward of Rs 100,000 for Dalit-'upper caste' marriage. nepalnews.com