HP govt to give monthly allowance to minor rape victims

The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet has decided to provide financial assistance of Rs 7,500 per month to minor victims of rape and child abuse till the age of 21 years as a livelihood support measure, an official spokesperson said on Wednesday.

In its meeting held here under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, the state cabinet decided to restore self confidence and dignity of victims of child abuse through intensive counselling, financial security, skill upgradation, rehabilitation and livelihood support, he said.

The Cabinet gave its nod to start a scheme for rehabilitation support to minor victims of rape and child abuse. Under it, intensive counselling for up to six months would be provided to them as well as their family through counsellors.

In another decision, the state Cabinet decided to enhance the honorarium of office bearers of Panchayati Raj Institutions from Rs 500 to 1000 per month.

Similarly, the chairperson of Zila Parishad will now get an honorarium of Rs 12,000 per month instead of Rs 11,000, the Vice Chairperson will get Rs 8,000 instead of Rs 7,500 and Member of Zila Parishad will get Rs 5,000 instead of Rs 4,500.

The state cabinet decided to provide the increased honorarium retrospectively from April 1, this year.

The Chairperson of Panchayat Samiti too will get Rs 7,000 per month instead of Rs 6,500, the Vice Chairperson will get Rs 5,000 instead of Rs 4,500 and member of Panchayat Samiti will get Rs 4,500 in place of Rs 4,000.

The honorarium of the President of Gram Panchayat will be enhanced from Rs 4000 to Rs 4,500 and that of vice president from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000, the officer said.

The members of Gram Panchayat will now get Rs 250 instead of Rs 240 per meeting with a maximum of two meeting in a month, he added.

The Cabinet also gave its consent to a hike in the honorarium of part time workers engaged in Patwar Circles of the state from Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500 per month, the officer said, adding that it will benefit 1528 workers while filling the vacant posts of part time workers.

The Cabinet decided to provide Rs 27,000 consolidated per month to Prathmik Sahyak Adhyapaks in order to remove pay anomaly, he said further.

A decision was also taken to procure, supply and distribute school bags to the students of classes first to ninth in the state for the year 2018-19 under Atal School Vardi Yojna.

It also decided to provide uniforms to the school students from first to twelfth standard during current session under the scheme.

The Cabinet also agreed to increase the additional honorarium of ASHA workers being given by the state government from Rs 1,250 to Rs 1,500 per month. This would benefit 7964 ASHA workers of the state.

A consent was also given to enhance the marriage grant under the Mukhya Mantri Kanyadaan Yojna from existing Rs 40,000 to Rs 51,000 to the destitute girls/women or their parents/guardians for marriage including inmates of Nari Sewa Sadan/Nari Niketan.

The Cabinet also approved the proposal to increase the annual income limit of a family from the existing Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000for availing loan facility up to Rs 1,50,000 by the women of the household through Mahila Vikas Nigam for self employment ventures.

This would provide an opportunity to more women to avail loan facility from the Nigam for taking up self employment activities.