40,000 new beneficiaries included in Social Security Pension during current fiscal- CM

While presiding over a meeting of the Social Justice and Empowerment Department here today, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu reviewed the various schemes of the department. He directed to develop an online platform to apply for the various welfare schemes adding that the present State Government has prioritized the social security sector and 30 percent of the additional resources generated would be spent in this sector to ensure the welfare of the vulnerable sections of the society.  He said that 40,000 new beneficiaries had been included in the social security pension fixed for the current financial year as per the budget announcement.

Sh. Sukhu said that the State Government would take care the of health of the children of widows and would also bear all the expenses of the treatment of cancer patients covered under Indira Gandhi Sukh Shiksha Yojna. He also directed the department to provide protein-rich nutritional supplements through anganwaris to eligible expectant and lactating mothers.  Besides, directions were issued to constitute a committee of Secretary Health and Secretary Education to study the nutritional values of food items being supplied to the anganwaris and said that the quality food items must be ensured.

The Chief Minister said that the design of a state-of-the-art de-addiction centre to be constructed at Kotla Barog in Sirmaur district has been prepared and the construction work would be started in the month of January next year. He also reviewed the upcoming Centre of Excellence for specially abled children at Kandaghat in Solan district and directed to start the construction work of the higher education wing in the first phase.

 Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. (Col) Dhani Ram Shandil, Principal Secretary Finance Devesh Kumar,  Secretary Ashish Singhmar, Secretary to Chief Minister Rakesh Kanwar, Director ESOMSA Kiran Bhadana and Director Women and Child Development Gandharva Rathore were present in the meeting.