HP cabinet approves guidelines for scheme for orphans, destitute women
The cabinet also recommended to convene the budget session of Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha from March 14 to April 6. There will be 18 sittings of the budget session
The Himachal Pradesh cabinet in its meeting held in Shimla on Thursday approved the guidelines for the ambitious ₹101-crore ‘Mukhya Mantri Sukh-Ashray Yojana’.
Orphans and those staying with their relatives, specially abled children, destitute women and senior citizens would come under the ambit of this scheme.
It was decided in the second cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu that the orphan children, referred to as ‘children of the state’, will be adopted by the HP government. The cabinet has decided to revamp the existing shelter homes, orphanages and old-age facilities under the scheme.
The cabinet also recommended to convene the budget session of Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha from March 14 to April 6. There will be 18 sittings of the budget session.
What does Mukhya Mantri Sukh-Ashray Yojana offer
The programme entails provision of common rooms, smart classes and coaching rooms, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, music room, attached washrooms and other modern amenities for the inmates of the integrated complexes which will be constructed in a phased manner for destitute women, senior citizens, and orphans. These modern integrated complexes will be set up at Jwalamukhi in Kangra district and Sundernagar in Mandi district.
Selected eminent citizens from the society will serve as mentors and provide counselling to the children from time to time.
Expert career counselling empanelled agencies will also cater to the needs of the children of classes 10 to 12. Due care will be taken for the personality development of such children by organising study tours, outdoor activities, and picnics.
Eligible inmates of such shelter homes or orphanages who are above 18 years of age will be provided ₹1 lakh each per year for coaching, hostel and tuition fee. Also, provision has been made to provide stipend of ₹4,000 per resident per month during the period of coaching.
The actual expenditure or ₹2 lakh, whichever is less, would be provided for the marriages of the inmates of such shelter homes. A recurring deposit account will be opened for every child and destitute woman living in these ashrams and the government will also provide assistance of ₹1,000 per month per child aged between 0-14 years, ₹2,500 per month per child aged between 15-18 years, while single women will be entitled to the similar benefit as well.
There will also be a provision to organise a 15-day educational tour every year besides boarding and lodging in hotels with not less than a three-star rating. On the same lines, a provision has been made for such tours for the residents of old age homes and Nari Seva Sadan for 10 days every year.
Under the scheme, ₹4,000 per child per month will be given as a scholarship to those children who have left the child care homes after attaining 18 years of age to meet their personal expenses during the study period.
This assistance would be provided till they attain the age of 21 years. This aid will be provided to the orphans up to the age of 27. One-time financial assistance of ₹2 lakh per person will be provided to eligible inmates after completing 18 years of age and wishing to launch or invest in startups.
The cabinet decided that the orphan children after attaining the age of 18 years will be provided boarding and lodging in after-care institutions till they attain 27 years of age.
Three biswas of land in rural areas, as well as the assistance of ₹3,000 lakh, will be provided to the landless orphans after they attain the age of 27 for the construction of their house.
