Government committed to welfare of schedule casts in state
Shimla: Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed to remove caste column from admission forms in schools from the next academic session. He was chairing the meeting of Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Caste Welfare Board (HPSCWB) here today, he said that the state government was committed to eliminating caste-based discrimination in society and promoting a sense of fraternity and equality.
However, members of the scheduled caste community would continue to provide their caste details when availing themselves for government schemes and benefits, ensuring that they receive the benefits of such schemes without any difficulty.
The Chief Minister said that the state government was giving priority to resolving the issues faced by the scheduled caste community. Several schemes had been launched for the welfare of the community and all eligible beneficiaries should be made aware of these initiatives so that they could avail themselves of the benefits available to them.
The Chief Minister further said that the state government was also providing loans of up to Rs. 20 lakh to meritorious students for higher education at an interest rate of one percent, so that students were not forced to discontinue their studies due to financial constraints.
He said that the state government was going to implement the Apna Parivar Sukhi Parivar Yojana for extremely poor families. Under the scheme, eligible families would be provided 300 units of free electricity, while women from these families would receive a monthly pension of Rs. 1,500.
Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil said that the state government was providing social security pensions to 8,41,917 beneficiaries. He said that old-age men were being provided a pension of Rs. 1,000 per month, while women, persons with disabilities, widows and deserted/single women were receiving Rs. 1,500 per month. Senior citizens above 70 years of age and persons with more than 70 percent disability were being provided Rs. 1,700 per month. He said that approximately Rs. 1,400 crore was being spent on social security pension schemes during the current financial year.
The Minister said that the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment was spending approximately Rs. 314.90 crore during the current financial year on various schemes for the social and economic upliftment of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, other backward classes, women, children and senior citizens. In addition, Rs. 1,105.37 crore was being allocated under the Scheduled Caste Development Programme.
