Govt provided Rs 6.50 cr for welfare of orphans in Himachal Pradesh: Health Minister

Shimla, February 6

Health, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dhani Ram Shandil today said Rs 6.50 crore had been disbursed to orphans in the state under the Mukhya Mantri Sukh Ashray Yojana. He reviewed various schemes run by the Directorate of Women and Child Development here. He also chaired a meeting of the Directorate for Empowerment of SCs, OBCs, Minorities and Specially Abled.

He said, “The state government is taking all measures to empower women so that they could live with dignity and contribute as equal partners to the development of the state.” He added that the focus was also on nurturing children by providing them full opportunities for growth and development.

He said that Rs 2.15 crore had been disbursed to 1,084 children of the child care institutions as social security. Besides, Rs 4.34 crore had been disbursed to 2,718 orphans in the form of pocket money in this fiscal year.

The minister said that the District Programme Officers (DPOs) and the Child Development and Protection Officers (CDPOs) were ensuring that both child and expectant mothers get nutritious diet and proper health check-up. He directed the DPOs and the CDPOs to ensure that children come to anganwari centres.

He said that the department officials were taking care of expectant mothers and newborns. “Children at a very tender age visit anganwari centres and it is the responsibility of the staff concerned to nurse and nurture their delicate minds and give them healthy food,” he added.

The minister said that Rs 32.52 lakh had been disbursed for diet and providing books to 1,084 children living in the child care institutions. Besides, 30 laptops had been provided to meritorious students of these institutions.

Shandil said that the rehabilitation of the SC and the ST was a key area of focus for the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment and was being done in letter and in spirit.

He said that an adequate compensation was being given to the members of the families of SC/ST victims under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. He reviewed the progress of various other schemes such as ‘Beti Hai Anmol Yojana’, ‘Mukhya Mantri Kanya Daan Yojana’, ‘Mukhya Mantri Shagun Yojana’, ‘Mother Teresa Asahay Matri Sambal Yojana’, Assistance to Women for Self Employment Scheme, Widow Remarriage Scheme, ‘Mission Vatsalya’, ‘Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0’ and ‘Mission Shakti’.