Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh Assembly's Budget session, the first of the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government, would be held from March 14 to April 6 during which it will have 18 sittings. Chief Minister Sukhu on Thursday recommended the governor to convene the session from March 14.
Earlier in the day, the Sukhu Cabinet in its second meeting approved the guidelines for the ambitious Rs 101-crore 'Mukhya Mantri Sukh-Ashray Yojana' and decided that the state government will adopt orphans, and refurbish existing shelter homes, orphanages and old age homes under the scheme to provide better facilities.
According to the scheme a one-time assistance of Rs 2 lakh per person will be provided to eligible inmates wishing to start or invest in startups. It will cover orphans and those staying with their relatives, especially-abled children, destitute women and senior citizens. The Cabinet decided that the orphan children after attaining the age of 18 years, will be provided boarding and lodging in after-care institutions till he/she turns 27.
Under the scheme, three biswas (1 bisws is about 1350 sq ft) of land in rural areas and Rs 3 lakh will be provided to the landless orphan after he attains the age of 27 years for the construction of his house. The Cabinet also decided to deposit Rs 10,000 as apparel allowance in the bank account of all the residents living in orphanages, old age homes, Nari Sewa Sadans. Integrated complexes will be constructed in a phased manner for destitute women and senior citizens and orphans with all basic amenities. To start with, these modern integrated complexes will be set up at Jwalamukhi in district Kangra and Sundernagar in Mandi district.
Facilities like common rooms, smart classes and coaching rooms, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, music room, attached washrooms and other modern amenities will be made available for the inmates, the scheme envisages. According to the guidelines, in order to provide quality education to the children living in orphanages adequate coaching will be given with focus on personality development. Eligible inmates of such shelter homes or orphanages who are above 18 years of age will be provided with Rs 1 lakh per person per year for coaching, hostel fee, tuition fee and a provision has also been made to give Rs 4,000 stipend per resident per month during the period of coaching, according to the scheme guidelines.
The inmates will also be provided Rs 2 lakh or the actual expenditure, whichever is less, for their marriage. A recurring deposit account will also be opened for every child, destitute women living in these Ashrams. There will also be a provision to organise a 15-day educational tour every year for the inmates to various historical and other places within the country. On the same lines, a provision has been also made for such tours for the residents of old age homes and Nari Seva Sadans for 10 days. (PTI)
