In a bid to benefit poor and downtrodden the HP government in a cabinet meeting gave its approval to provide one additional free refill cylinder to the beneficiaries of ‘Ujjawala Grihini Suvidha Yojna’ launched in the State by merger of Himachal Grihini Suvidha Yojna and Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojna, said a spokesman. This decision would benefit over two lakh families of the State, he added.
Besides in order to restore self confidence and dignity of victims of child abuse through intensive counseling, financial security, skill up gradation, rehabilitation and livelihood support, the Himachal Pradesh government gave its nod to start Scheme for Rehabilitation support to Minor Victims of Rape, Child Abuse. It was decided that under this scheme intensive counselling upto six months would be provided to minor as well as to their family members through professional counselers. In addition to it, financial assistance of Rs. 7500 per month would be given to the minor victim till the age of 21 years as a livelihood support measure, informed a spokesperson of the state government.
Further the State Cabinet decided that in order to encourage institutional delivery, the incentive amount to women belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and BPL families, the Cabinet decided to enhance it to Rs. 1100. It also gave its nod to increase the additional honorarium of ASHA workers being given by the State government from Rs. 1250 to Rs. 1500 per month.  This would benefit 7964 ASHA workers of the State.
It gave its consent to enhance the marriage grant under the Mukhya Mantri Kanyadaan Yojna from existing Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 51,000 to the destitute girls/women or their parents/guardians for their marriage including inmates of Nari Sewa Sadan/Nari Niketan. It put its seal on increasing the annual income limit of family from existing Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 100,000  for availing loan facility upto Rs. 1,50000 by the women through Mahila Vikas Nigam for starting their self employment ventures. This would provide an opportunity to more women to avail loan facility from the Nigam and take up self employment activities, he added.
The Cabinet also gave its nod to enhancement of 50 paise per kg on all varieties of mango during the year 2019 under Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) procurement rates.
Another tele-medicine facility in Civil Hospital Bharmour, district Chamba through M/s Apollo Hospitals so as to provide specialized health care facilities to the people of the area, was decided. The Cabinet also decided to open new Sub Division of PWD at Bhardward  under Sarkaghat in Mandi district alongwith creation of requisite posts to manage the Sub Division.
Further it was decided to enhance the honorarium of office bearers of Panchayati Raj Institutions from 1st April, 2019. According to the decision now, Chairperson, Zila Parishad would get Rs. 12,000 per month instead of Rs. 11,000, Vice Chairperson Zila Parishad Rs. 8,000 instead of 7500, Member Zila Parishad Rs. 5,000 in place of Rs. 4500. Similarly Chairperson, Panchayat Samit would receive Rs. 7000 per month instead of Rs.6500, Vice Chairperson Rs. 5,000 instead of Rs. 4500 and member of Panchayat Samiti Rs. 4500 in place of Rs. 4000. The honorarium of Pradhan Gram Panchayat to be enhanced from Rs. 4000 to Rs. 4500, Up Pradhan from Rs. 2500 to Rs. 3000 and members of the Gram Panchayat would get Rs. 250 instead of Rs. 240 per meeting with a maximum of two meeting in a month.The spokesperson informed that the Cabinet also gave its consent to increase the honorarium of  part time workers engaged in Patwar circles of the State from Rs. 3000 to Rs. 3500 per month. This decision will benefit 1528 workers. The Cabinet also decided to provide Rs. 27,000 consolidated per month to Prathmik Sahyak Adhyapaks in order to remove pay anomaly.
The Cabinet decided to procure supply and distribute school bags to the students of classes 1st, 3rd, 6th and 9th  in the State for the years 2018-19 under ‘Atal School Vardi Yojna.  It also decided to provide uniforms to the school students from 1st standard to 12th standard of current session under Atal Vardi Yojna.
The Cabinet decided to provide scholarships amount to Rs. 10,000 each every year under Mukhya Mantri Bal Udhar Yojana to 10 boys and 10 girls of Child Care Institutions registered and funded under Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 securing top two positions in the merit list (separate for boys and girls) of children of Child Care Institutions in Annual Examinations of 8th,9th, 10th, 10+1 and 10+2 standards.
