The Haryana cabinet on Tuesday increased the extent of social security pension to widows and destitute women by increasing the income criteria from ₹2 lakh to ₹3 lakh per annum.
The cabinet also decided that the beneficiaries who have attained the age of 60 or above, would start getting social security pension under Old Age Samman Allowance Scheme, an official spokesperson said.
The increase in the income limit is aimed at widening the coverage of widow pension. The last income limit revision was done a decade ago in 2012.
At present, a beneficiary of widows and destitute women pension can avail the benefit till the date of her death. As per the changes, the beneficiary, after attaining the age of 60, will get the benefits under Old Age Samman Allowance subject to the eligibility.
The eligibility conditions for widow pension now would be that the beneficiary be of 18 years, a domicile of Haryana for the last 15 years at the time of submission of application and income from all sources should be below ₹3 lakh per annum.
The district social welfare officer shall have the right to stop payment of pension if at any stage it is found that it was sanctioned on a mistaken ground or false information or the condition for which the pension was granted no longer exists, the spokesperson said.
{{/usCountry}}The district social welfare officer shall have the right to stop payment of pension if at any stage it is found that it was sanctioned on a mistaken ground or false information or the condition for which the pension was granted no longer exists, the spokesperson said.
{{/usCountry}}7 castes deleted from backward classes
The cabinet also approved an amendment in the Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in educational institutions act) Act 2016 for deletion of seven castes from Block-A of backward classes.
The Union government had amended scheduled castes order, 1950 (vide May 9, 2016 notification) to include seven castes of Haryana in the list of scheduled castes pertaining to Haryana. They are Aheria, Aheri, Heri, Hari, Thori, Turi and Rai Sikh. Since these castes were also listed in Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in educational institutions act) Act 2016 in BC Block-A category, therefore these seven castes are being deleted from BC-A list in schedule of Act. Also, the caste Jangam-Jogi (listed at serial number 31 in BC Block A list) is being deleted from the said Act since Jogi and Jangam are separate castes. Jogi caste shall figure at serial number 31 while Jangam caste shall be added by way of new entry at serial number 72 in the BC Block-A list of the schedule of the Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in Educational Institutions Act) Act 2016, an official spokesperson said.