Govt aiming at extending pension benefit to 3 lakh more: Rawat

The Uttarakhand government has set itself a target of extending pension benefits to three lakh more people, Chief Minister Harish Rawat today said.
"The number of pension beneficiaries in the state two years ago was just 1.84 lakh. It now stands at seven lakh as the income limit of beneficiaries has been revised from Rs 1000 to Rs 4000. Our target is to increase the number of pensioners in the state to 10 lakh," Rawat said addressing a public rally here.
Claiming that Uttarakhand was the only state in the country where such varied sections of its population were covered under social pension schemes, he said that apart from the physically challenged, gnomes, maulvis, wives of mentally unstable people, congenitally handicapped, women abandoned by their families and widows were given pension by the state government.

He said inclusion of such varied sections under the ambit of pension schemes was meant to create a sense of security among the weaker section and helpless people so that they never feel left by the government to fend for themselves.
Uttarakhand is the second state after Tamil Nadu where 90 per cent of the population have been extended food security.
Noting that economic independence was the key to women's empowerment, Rawat said 1000 women constables and 200 women sub-inspectors were recruited into the police force this year.
Entrepreneurship among women, women's welfare and self help groups are also being encouraged, he said.