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New Year gift: Pension for old increased
THE STATE Cabinet on Tuesday decided to increase the national old age and social security pension from Rs 150 to Rs 275 per month with retrospective effect from April 1, 2006.
THE STATE Cabinet on Tuesday decided to increase the national old age and social security pension from Rs 150 to Rs 275 per month with retrospective effect from April 1, 2006.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narottam Mishra said nearly 11.43 lakh people would be benefitted by the decision which would put an additional burden of Rs 107.05 crore on the exchequer. The current burden was Rs 167.04 crore.
Mishra said the decision was Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s new year gift to the old who are above 65 years and come below poverty line.
Mishra was evasive when asked what would be the the State’s share in the increased amount. “At the moment I don’t have the
figures,” he said.
He said the Cabinet approved constitution of an autonomous body for the midday meal programme. The body — a self-help group — would ensure inter-departmental coordination and distribute funds received from the Centre. The body would also appoint candidates on contract basis at the state and district level for management of the programme.
The autonomous body would have a general body headed by the chief secretary. Principal secretaries/secretaries of different departments would be its members. It would also have an executive headed by the principal secretary, panchayats and rural development, with heads of different departments as members
The Cabinet sanctioned expenditure on about 64 additional posts of class one, two, three and four for Murar civil hospital which was upgraded from a 50-bed to a 100-bed facility. This will entail an additional annual expenditure of Rs 74.95 lakh.
The Cabinet decided to get the Court Fees (Madhya Pradesh amendment) Ordinance, 2007 promulgated by the Governor. The ordinance would come into force from the date of its publication in the gazette. After promulgation, the law department would initiate action for a bill to replace it in the budget session of the Assembly.
Retirement age up: The retirement age of allopathic doctors under the public health and family welfare department was increased from 60 years to 62 and of allopathic medical college teachers (except demonstrators) from 62 to 65 years.
