Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh, February 20-
Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatraya, in his address during the ongoing budget session in the Vidhan Sabha, reiterated the commitment of the state government to the principles of Antyodaya, inspired by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay's vision of equality, harmony and social justice.
Highlighting key initiatives, Governor underscored the significance of the 'Mukhyamantri Antyodaya Parivar Utthan Yojana,' aimed at uplifting the poorest of the poor by ensuring that their annual income is at least Rs 1.80 lakh.
He said that the state government has extended support to various vulnerable groups through initiatives like the provision of ‘Samman Bhatta’ and social security pensions. The monthly amount for social security pensions has been increased to Rs 3000, benefitting a wide range of individuals including the elderly, widows, destitute women, divyang, and others.
Referring to the healthcare sector, the Governor said that the Ayushman Bharat-‘Chirayu’ scheme has been launched, providing free treatment to families with an annual income of up to Rs 1.80 lakh. About 1.11 crore Ayushman Chirayu cards have been distributed, with claims worth Rs 1,247 crore paid for the treatment of over 9.64 lakh patients.
He said that to address housing needs, the 'Housing for All' department has been established, with the 'Mukhyamantri Shahri Awas Yojana' portal facilitating registrations for approximately 2,90,000 poor families.
Furthering the welfare agenda, schemes like the 'Pradhan Mantri Laghu Vyapar Maan Dhan Yojana' and 'Pradhanmantri Swanidhi Yojana' have been implemented to support retailers, shopkeepers, and street vendors. In addition, initiatives such as the 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana' and 'Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana' continue to provide essential support to economically disadvantaged families.
He said that state government is dedicated to the socio-economic and educational upliftment of the Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes. A historic step has been taken by providing 20 percent reservation in promotion to Group-A and B posts, aiming to enhance promotion opportunities for Scheduled Caste employees. The “Mukhya Mantri Vivah Shagun Yojana” honours the girl child and ensures graceful weddings for girls from all sections of society. It aims to alleviate the financial burden on families, particularly those living below the poverty line, when marrying their daughters. Under this scheme, the Shagun amount for Scheduled Castes, De-notified Tribes, and Tapriwas castes living below the poverty line has been increased from Rs 51,000 to Rs 71,000. During last four years an amount of Rs 472.51 crore was disbursed for the marriages of over 1,15,518 girls.
Moreover, numerous schemes have been introduced for the welfare and upliftment of workers, including increased financial assistance for children's weddings, educational incentives, and enhanced awards under the 'Chief Minister Shram Puraskar Yojana.'