Panel for hike in old-age, widow pension to Rs 2K

Chandigarh, June 10

The Social Welfare Committee of the UT Administration has urged the Central Government as well as the Administration to give approval to the proposal of the committee, sent in 2021, to increase old-age, widow and handicapped pension from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per month.

Once approved, about 25,000 families in the city will be benefited.

A meeting of the committee was held under the chairmanship of former MP Satya Pal Jain yesterday. Palika Arora, Director Social Welfare, Davesh Moudgil, former mayor, Kamaljit Panchhi, Anamika Walia, Rama Mathur, Karan Vasudeva, Tulika Mehta, Vinita Garg and Lata Giri also attended the meeting.

The committee also recommended the opening of a samparak centre in the building of the Social Welfare Department in Sector 17 to make a single-window system for people applying for benefits under various schemes of the department.

The committee was informed that on its recommendation of building another old-age home in the city, the UT Administration has earmarked a plot of 1.2 acres in Sector 34, but the project file had not been sent to the Architecture Department for drawings as of now.

The committee also asked the UT police to give the details of untraced missing children in Chandigarh, which are reported to be 23 in number, so that further action can be taken in tracing these children.

Similarly, the Health Department was asked to give the proposal for opening evening OPDs in different areas.

Meanwhile, the committee thanked the Administration for adopting the “Shagun Scheme” in Chandigarh. Under the scheme, the Administration will give a shagun of Rs 31,000 to the daughters of poor people at the time of their marriage.