The Supreme Court declared on Thursday that homemakers should be recognised as “nation builders” and ruled that the loss of a wife’s domestic care must be monetised at a minimum of Rs 30,000 per month.
A bench of Justices Sanjoy Karol and N K Singh delivered the judgment while granting additional compensation to a man who lost his wife in a motor accident in Punjab.
The court emphasised that households depend substantially on homemakers, yet their contributions often go unacknowledged. “The homemaker builds the nation,” the bench observed, stressing that the term “housewife” should evolve into “nation builder” in recognition of their role.
The case involved a woman who died in a road accident on November 25, 2001. Her husband and three children initially received Rs 2.42 lakh compensation from the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal. Dissatisfied, they approached the High Court, which enhanced the amount to Rs 8.43 lakh with 7.5% interest. Still seeking justice, the family moved the Supreme Court, which further enhanced the compensation by recognising the economic value of domestic care.
