Chandigarh: On the occasion of the golden jubilee celebrations of the state, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced a series steps, including increase in social security pensions. Khattar said that old age allowance, widow pension and that for the handicapped would be increased to Rs 1,600 per month from November 1 this year. At present, Rs 1,400 per month is given as social security pensions to 2200,000 beneficiaries at a cost of £8.8 million to the state exchequer.
Khattar added that the government has decided to relax the disability limit from 70 per cent to 60 per cent to avail of disability pension. Beneficiaries would also get Rs 1,600 per month. Also, financial assistance to destitute children has been increased from Rs 500 to Rs 700, while assistance to non-school going differently abled children would be raised from Rs 700 to Rs 1,000 from November 1.
The honorarium for Home Guard constables has been revised from Rs 300 per day to Rs 572 per day on a par with police constables. This will benefit 14,025 home guards. The CM also announced that a Haryana Swarna Jayanti Medal would be instituted from November 1. All the officers and police personnel of the department would wear it on the uniform.
Khattar announced an increase in scholarship for cadets hailing from Haryana and being trained at National Indian Military College in Dehradun from Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000 per annum. The government has also decided to set up a separate department for the welfare of ex-servicemen. Khattar announced that financial assistance being given to ex-servicemen of 60 or above, widows of ex-servicemen, physically disabled ex-servicemen, paraplegic ex-servicemen, orphan children of ex-servicemen and war widows of 1962, 1965 and 1971 would be increased to Rs 3,000 per month.
Khattar also launched a scheme under which an honorarium of Rs 9,000 would be given to postgraduate unemployed youths in lieu of 100 hours of work.
The CM further said that the monthly honorarium for sanitation workers would be raised to Rs 10,000 from Rs 8,100.
