13 new schemes for orphans, widows & small traders in Himachal Budget

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 17

The government announced 13 schemes for various sections of society like orphans, single women, small traders and shopkeepers in the Budget today. The following schemes were announced:

Under the Rajiv Gandhi Government Model Day Boarding School scheme, all 68 Assembly segments of the state would have a school for students from pre-nursery to Class XII with indoor and outdoor sports facilities like a swimming pool. A Rs 300 crore allocation had been made for the scheme.

Under the Mukhya Mantri Sukha-Ashray Yojana, all orphans below the age of 27 would be referred to as ‘Children of the State’ and taken care of. A Mukhya Mantri Ashray Kosh of Rs 101 crore had been established. Shelter homes with modern facilities for children, destitute women and the elderly would be set up. The orphan children would be taken on an educational tour with air travel and three star stay facility.

Under the Mukhya Mantri Vidyarthi Protsahan Yojana, an outlay of Rs 200 crore has been provided for extending educational loans at one per cent interest to poor students to pursue engineering, medicine, management, nursing, pharmacy and other higher education courses.

Under the Mukhya Mantri Surakshit Bachpan Ahiyan, a comprehensive action plan has been made to make people and children in particular aware about the provisions of the POCSO Act.

Under the Him Unnati Yojana, an allocation of Rs 150 crore has been made for crop diversification and supplementing the income of farmers.

The Him Ganga scheme aims at making Himachal a a major milk producing economy, setting up milk processing plants and ensuring a fair price for milk to dairy owners. A Rs 500 crore allocation has been made under the scheme.

Uner the Mukhya Mantri Green Cover Mission, the green cover would be expanded by undertaking plantation on vacant land and ensuring a better survival rate.

Under the Mukhya Mantri Sadak Evam Rakh Rakhaav Yojana, Rs 200 would be spent on maintenance to ensure quality of roads.

Under the Rajiv Gandhi Swarozgar Yojana, a financial assistance with 50 per cent subsidy would be given to dental doctors, for the purchase of e-taxis, setting up fisheries projects or solar power projects so that the youth could set up their own ventures.

Under the Sadbhavana Yojana 2023, pending cases of traders, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers would be settled.

Under the Mukhya Mantri Rozgar Sankalp Seva scheme, changes would be made in the Employment MIS software and the youth, including doctors, nurses and IT professionals, would be made aware of employment opportunities, even abroad.

Mukhya Mantri Laghu Dukandar Kalyan Yojana

• The scheme provides for 50 % subsidy on loans up to Rs 50,000 to small shopkeepers and traders, covering 75,000 beneficiaries.

Mukhya Mantri Vidhwa Evam Akal Nari Awas Yojana

• Under the scheme, 7,000 single women and widows would be given a financial assistance of Rs 1.50 lakh each for the construction of houses with water and electricity facilities.