HP hikes aid to freedom fighters, dependents

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today announced substantial hike in honorarium of widows and unmarried daughters of freedom fighters from Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 per month.
He also announced increase in grant-in-aid for marriage of daughters of freedom fighters from Rs 10,000 to Rs 51,000 and granddaughters from Rs 10,000 to Rs 21,000.
The amount for last rites was increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively for the freedom fighters and their wives.
Presiding over the conference of state Freedom Fighters at Bilaspur, he said Congress had always looked after the interests of the freedom fighters and their families.

He said wives and unmarried daughters of 813 freedom fighters were being provided honorarium which included 96 living freedom fighters.
He accused the previous BJP government for ignoring freedom fighters.

The state had enhanced the 'honorarium' of freedom fighters from Rs 7,500 to Rs 10,000 per month from September 1, 2013.
Their dependents were allowed two per cent reservation in the government jobs while provision had been made for reserving one seat in MBBS, Dental and Ayurvedic colleges.
Lauding the people of Bilaspur town for their contribution to the nation's development, he said the old town was submerged due to construction of Bhakra Dam and many families were uprooted.

The Congress government had taken effective steps for rehabilitation of affected families and most of them had been provided plots while remaining families would be rehabilitated in next two-theree years.
He said that state governemnt had already announced plans to regularise encroachments by such families in the town.
The state would also regularise the houses constructed by the Balmiki community and also provide plots to houseless families, he said.