Govt has taken various measures to enhance social security net: Khattar

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday said the state government has taken various measures to enhance the social security net for people.

While presenting the budget for 2024-25 in the Assembly, Khattar, who also holds the finance portfolio, said the 'Old Age Samman Allowance' and related pensions are now Rs 3,000 per month, higher than Rs 1,000 in December 2014.

The provision for social security pensions has been increased from Rs 1,753 crore in 2013-14 constituting 3.2 per cent of the total budget expenditure to Rs 10,971 crore in FY 2024-25, constituting 5.78 per cent of the total budget expenditure, he said.

The total number of beneficiaries is now over 31.51 lakh increasing from 22.64 lakh in December 2014, said Khattar.

"We have taken the government to the doorstep of the beneficiary with the implementation of the 'Old Age Samman Allowance', 'Divyang Pension', and widower pension for those above the age of 40 years and have been widowed and unmarried pension for those above the age of 45 years and remain unmarried, through the 'Parivar Pehchan Patra' in a pro-active mode," he said.

Over 2.14 lakh 'Old Age Samman' beneficiaries have been identified through the pro-active mode in the last 18 months and over 5940 'Divyang pension' beneficiaries identified proactively in the last year, he said.

The government proposes to extend the pro-active pension provision to other schemes such as widow and destitute women pension, widower pension for men above the age of 40 years...in the next three months, he said.

He said that in the past, senior citizens who were in receipt of Employee Provident Fund benefits were excluded from receiving the benefit of 'Old Age Samman Allowance'. There have been instances where the EPF pension is less than Rs 3,000 per month.

The state government proposes to amend the 'Old Age Samman Allowance Scheme' to provide benefits to such pensioners so that the sum total of the allowance by the Government and the EPF pension is equal to the Old Age Samman Allowance of Rs 3,000 per month or as amended from time to time, he said.

Meanwhile, during his budget speech, Khattar said that from April 1 this year, abiana (service charge) levied on consumption of canal water will cease to exist.

"As a measure of relief to farmers dependent on canal water, I propose to stop the levy of 'abiana' from April 1, 2024. This step will mean a one-time waiver of about Rs 140 crore along with an annual relief of Rs 54 crore benefiting farmers of 4,299 villages," he said.

Meanwhile, he proposed to provide Rs 100 crore from Haryana Rural Development Fund "for the repair of SC and BC chopals in the state".

On the lines of PM-Svamita scheme, Khattar proposed to launch an Urban-Svamita scheme to provide property certificates to owners of properties in 'abadi areas of erstwhile villages that have been included in municipalities".

E-libraries will be established in all government-model Sanskriti Senior Secondary schools in a phased manner.

The free student transport scheme, implemented from January 16, available to all students from classes 1 to 12 where the distance of school from their home is more than one km, is being implemented in one block in each district and then will be expanded to all blocks, he said.

As many as 5,000 women of 500 Self-Help Groups will be trained in drone operations and maintenance and provided one drone each to the SHGs. They may rent it to farmers for agricultural purposes, he said.

Under the Haryana State Rural Livelihood mission, 58,797 SHGs have been formed, engaging 6.04 lakh women in various activities and it is proposed to bring 2 lakh women into higher income level and make them "lakhpati didis".

The government also proposes to construct auditoriums with a capacity for hosting 500-1,000 persons in all big cities in the state under Divya Nagar Yojana while a public library will be established at each district headquarters, he said.