Rehab scheme for minor rape, child abuse victims

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 19

The government will launch a scheme for rehabilitation and extending support to minors who have been victims of rape and child abuse. Besides counselling, they will get an assistance of Rs 7,500 per month till the age of 21.

The Cabinet, which met here on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, approved the scheme.

It aims at restoring self-confidence and dignity of the victims of child abuse through intensive counselling, financial security, skill upgradation, rehabilitation and livelihood support.

The Cabinet also gave nod to increase the additional honorarium of ASHA workers in the Health Department from Rs 1,250 to Rs 1,500 per month, which will benefit 7,964 workers.

A decision has also been taken to procure, supply and distribute schoolbags to the students of classes 1, III, VI and IX in the state for 2018-19 under the Atal School Vardi Yojana. It was also decided to provide uniforms to all students in government schools.

The Cabinet decided to enhance the honorarium of office-bearers of panchayati raj institutions from April 1. The Zila Parishad chairperson will get an honorarium of Rs 12,000 per month from the present Rs 11,000 while the vice-chairperson will get Rs 8,000 and Zila Parishad member Rs 5,000 in place of Rs 4,500. Similarly, the chairperson, Panchayat Samiti, will get Rs 7,000 per month, vice-chairperson Rs 5,000 and member of the Panchayat Samiti Rs 4,500. The honorarium of the pradhan of a gram panchayat will be enhanced to Rs 4,500 and that of up-pradhan to Rs 3,000. Gram Panchayat members will get Rs 250 instead of Rs 240 per meeting with a maximum of two meetings in a month.

The Cabinet also gave its consent to increase the honorarium of part-time workers engaged in patwar circles of the state from Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500 per month. This decision will benefit 1,528 workers. Vacant posts of part-time workers will also be filled.

The Cabinet also gave approval to provide one additional free refill cylinder to the beneficiaries of the Ujjawala Grihini Suvidha Yojana launched in the state by the merger of the Himachal Grihini Suvidha Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana, benefiting over two lakh families.

In order to encourage institutional delivery, the Cabinet decided to enhance the incentive amount to women belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and BPL families to Rs 1,100.

It was decided to continue the Market Intervention Scheme for procurement of mango fruit with an enhancement of 50 paise per kg on all varieties of during 2019 to ensure remunerative prices to the farmers.

The consent was given to enhance marriage grant under the Mukhya Mantri Kanyadaan Yojana from existing Rs 40,000 to Rs 51,000 to the destitute girls/women or their parents/guardians for marriage.

The Cabinet decided to provide scholarships amounting to Rs 10,000 each every year under the Mukhya Mantri Bal Uddhar Yojana to 10 boys and 10 girls of child care institutions registered and funded under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

The Cabinet agreed to start tele-medicine facility in Civil Hospital, Bharmour, Chamba, through M/s Apollo. Approval was also granted for filing various posts in various departments such as education, health and ayurveda.

Other Decisions

• School bags to be given to students of classes 1, III, VI and IX. It Uniforms will also be provided to all students in government schools.
• Nod to enhance honorarium of office-bearers of Panchayati Raj Institutions and of part- time workers engaged in Patwar Circles
• Incentive amount to women belonging to SC/ST and BPL families raised to Rs 1,100
• Marriage grant under the Mukhya Mantri Kanyadaan Yojana increased