Jammu: As many as 6,467 militancy victims
in Jammu and Kashmir have been brought under the purview of
the pension scheme, state Social Welfare Minister Sakina Itoo
said Saturday.
Pensions to militancy-hit victims, mostly to widows,
were being disbursed under the Rehabilitation Council for
Militancy which was set up in the state earlier, Itoo said
while replying to the discussion on demands of grants for
the departments under her charge in Legislative Assembly this
evening.
Keeping in mine the welfare of physically challenged
people, she said the monthly pension for them was increased
from Rs 500 to Rs 750.
Besides, two new pension schemes -- Indira Gandhi
National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) and Indira Gandhi
National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) -- have been
launched in the state for coverage of additional
beneficiaries, Itoo said.
She said that under various pre-matric scholarships
schemes, about six lakh students, including 6,748 physically
handicapped were benefited and about 37,190 students,
including 290 physically handicapped under post-matric
scholarships were covered in the state.
Five lakh people also benefited from old-age pension
and seven lakh children were given supplementary nutrition,
she said.
Regarding facilities for SC/ST/OBC students, the
minister said that free boarding and lodging facilities were
being provided to these categories for which Rs 17.11 crore
have been spent on construction of hostel building at nine
district headquarters in the state.
PTI
