Continuing with his drive to extend benefits to the public, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on July 3 released a payment of ₹146.74 crore to the ‘Labharthis’ (beneficiaries) of Palanhar Yojana. The scheme is meant for orphaned children and others who are raised mainly by their relatives, acquaintances and family friends.
CM releases payout
The direct benefit transfer carried out at a function held at Mr. Gehlot’s official residence here included the assistance of ₹59.38 crore for June to 5.92 lakh beneficiaries and ₹87.36 crore for July to 5.91 lakh beneficiaries. Mr. Gehlot, who is recuperating from injuries to his toes at home, also interacted with the beneficiaries in several districts through video conferencing.
Mr. Gehlot said his government had increased the assistance amount for different categories of children in the Palanhar Yojana, which was launched by the previous Bharatiya Janata Party regime. “I catch hold of good work started by others. Unlike the BJP, we don’t stop the welfare schemes after the change of government. [Former CM] Vasundhara Raje did not increase the allocation for the scheme after launching it,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the increase in the assistance amount would put an additional burden of ₹300 crore on the State exchequer this year. With the higher allocation, Palanhar Yojana would ensure the complete care, protection and education of children who had lost their parents, Mr. Gehlot said, adding that these children would play an important role in the progress of the State in future.
Praises Raje
Praising Ms. Raje for her vision to help out orphans and other children affected by adverse circumstances, Mr. Gehlot said the Palanhar Yojana was a “unique initiative”, which had been further strengthened by this government. “It is the responsibility of all of us to ensure that not a single eligible child remains deprived of the scheme,” he said.
Mr. Gehlot has co-opted the BJP’s ‘Labharthi’ concept in the run-up to this year’s Assembly election with the objective of reaching out to individual beneficiaries of different schemes. The ruling Congress hopes that increasing the payout will further its political ends.
The first ‘Labharthi Utsav’ (beneficiary festival) was organised here last month to release the direct benefit of subsidy on LPG cylinders to poor families that had stopped getting the benefit of the Centre’s much-publicised Ujjwala Yojana.
Congress welfare schemes
Highlighting the Congress government’s 10 public welfare schemes for which registration of beneficiaries is continuing at inflation relief camps across the State since April 24, Mr. Gehlot urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to introduce legislation on social security. “Such a law will bring relief to crores of poor people across the country. The UPA government had taken similar legislative measures on right to food, employment, education and information,” he said.
Mr. Gehlot also said he would continue to serve the people of the State till his last breath, regardless of whether he held office.
Who is eligible?
In addition to orphans, others eligible for financial assistance under the Palanhar Yojana are the children of parents who have been sentenced to death or life imprisonment, children of widows receiving a pension, children of parents suffering from HIV/Aids, leprosy and silicosis and the children of divorced or abandoned women.
Following the increase in the assistance amount, the State government has started giving ₹1,500 a month to orphaned children up to six years of age and ₹2,500 a month to those from six to 18 years. Other children get ₹750 a month up to the age of six years and ₹1,500 a month between six and 18 years.
An additional amount of ₹2,000 per annum is also given to each of these children for purchasing clothes, sweaters and shoes. It is compulsory for the children to attend a school or an Anganwadi rural child care centre to get the benefit.
