HP according priority to women welfare: Sarveen Chaudhary

Shimla, Jul 8 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh's Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Sarveen Chaudhary today asserted that the state government is committed to the welfare of women.

Besides announcing holidays for women government employees on Bhaiya Dooj and Raksha Bandhan, the government was also providing free travel facility to women on these occations, she said in a release here.

Ms Chaudhary said Himachal was the only state in the country that had set up an all women Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB), which would provide employment to 1,000 women.

The BJP Government, during its previous tenure, had also started the Matri Shakti Bima Yojna for women belonging to IRDP families, she said, adding that the government had decided to enhance the benefits under this scheme.

The next of the kin of the dead would now be provided a sum of Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 in case of partial disability under the scheme, she added.

The Minister said women have been provided 50 per cent reservation in Pnachayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies in order to ensure their participation in the process of development.

It has also been decided to give final shape to recruitment process of Anganwari workers at local level in order to generate employment opportunities at grass level, she said.

Ms Chaudhary said the government has also decided to enhance the honorarium of members of State Women Commission to Rs 600 per meeting or Rs 10,000 per month, whichever was higher.

During the previous BJP Government's tenure three women constables were deployed in every police station of the state in order to facilitate women in redressal of their grievances, she said.

She said Maharishi Balmiki Chhatravriti Yojna was also being implemented in the state for girls belonging to the families involved in cleanliness profession and added that an annual scholarship of Rs 9,000 was being provided to the beneficiaries.

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