Karnal (Haryana), Nov 2 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched several schemes, including ‘Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra’ scheme, announced by the Haryana government for ‘Antyodaya’ families.
Under the ‘Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra’ scheme, members of families with an annual income of less than Rs 1.80 lakh who are over 60 years of age will be taken for pilgrimages to Ayodhya, Varanasi, and other holy places, officials said. The state government will bear all the expenses for their travel, they said.
While addressing a gathering at the ‘Antyodaya Mahasammelan’ organized here, Shah urged the eligible beneficiaries of the scheme to avail the opportunity and also visit the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, which will be inaugurated in January next year.
During the event, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced a hike in social security pension.
Khattar said that from January 1, 2024, beneficiaries of social security pension in the state will receive a monthly pension of Rs 3,000, an increase of Rs 250.
Shah also formally launched the ‘Ayushman Bharat-Chirayu Yojana’.
According to an official statement, the Haryana government’s Chirayu scheme has already benefited approximately 11 lakh families.
After Shah formally launched this scheme, 14 lakh new families will be included in this scheme. Combining the schemes of the central and state governments, nearly 40 lakh ‘Antyodaya’ families in Haryana can avail the benefits of the Ayushman Bharat-Chirayu scheme, said the statement.
The Union home minister also inaugurated the Haryana Antyodaya Parivar Parivahan Yojana (HAPPY), under which families with an annual income of less than Rs 1 lakh and having three or more members will receive the benefit of free travel in Haryana Roadways buses for up to 1,000 kilometres per year for each member, it said.
Shah also launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Antyodaya Dugdh Utpadak Cooperation Incentive’ scheme which will provide incentives to ‘Antyodaya’ families who wish to start “mini-dairies” by taking loans.
Addressing the gathering, Khattar emphasised on the pivotal role played by his government in shaping the state’s progress in the last nine years.
The chief minister gave details about the pivotal schemes tailored for the downtrodden – labourers, farmers, and small-scale traders, whose annual income barely sustains their livelihoods.
He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah, hailing their bold decisions, especially the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, the statement said.
Khattar said his government has come down on “3 Cs – crime, corruption and caste-based politics”.
With about a year to go for Haryana polls, he said his government has fulfilled 95 per cent of the poll promises so far.
Taking a dig at previous regimes in Haryana, Khattar said nine years ago, the state grappled with a stifling atmosphere marked by disappointment and favouritism.
“Our government prioritized public welfare. However, people in the opposition still talk about caste-based politics. All opposition parties are making announcements to appoint deputy chief ministers from different castes (if they come to power). We stand against caste-based politics,” said Khattar.
Besides Khattar, among those present at the event here included Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh, and Haryana ministers Anil Vij, Banwari Lal, Sandeep Singh, Kamlesh Dhanda, Mool Chand Sharma, J P Dalal and Kamal Gupta.
Haryana BJP chief Nayab Singh Saini, who is also MP from Kurukshetra, and party’s Haryana affairs in-charge Biplab Kumar Deb were also present. PTI SUN VSD KVK KVK
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