CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government has decided to provide att a and dal at 50% subsidy through the ration shops to the families living below poverty line in the state. The Punjab Government various schemes, concessions and benefits involving financial liability of about Rs. 550 crore for various sections of society including the scheduled castes, h weaker sections and the traders in the state.
The state government has decided to abolish sales tax on all a and rice. Addressing a news conference after the meeting of the council of minister share, the Chief Minister, Mr. Beant Singh, said that the families living below the poverty line would get40 kg of wheat and four kg of chana dal at 50% subsidy. The scheme, to be Launched from October 2next, would benefit about 11,75 lkh families. The subsidy would amount to Rs.200 crore. The income limit for the families below the poverty line has been raised from Rs, 11,000 to Rs. 18,000 per annum,
The scheme would be implemented by the Rural Development and Local Bodies Departments under the overall charge of the deputy commissioners.
The council of ministers enhanced the financial assistance to the members of the scheduled castes and the weaker sections for building pucca houses from the existing Rs. 7,500 to Rs. 15,000. The state government would extend this assistance for building 400 houses for the scheduled castes and 200 houses for the weaker sections in every Assembly on consultancy. This scheme would cost the state ex cheaucr about Rs. 105 crore and would benefit about 46.000 families during the current financial year.
Beant Singh said that the state government had decided to raise the income limit for granting old age pension [rom Rs, 500 to Rs, 750 per month. The old age pension has been raised from Rs. 150 to Rs. 200 per month. The scheme has been delinked from the adult children in the family and it would not debar the beneficiaries from this benefit. This would cost the stale exchequer about Rs. 192 crore, The council of ministers also decided to raise stipends for the students belonging to scheduled castes and the weaker sections, The income limit of the family for availing these stipends has also been enhanced.
The scheduled caste girl students in the primary classes would get Rs. 50 per month as stipend as against Rs. 30 earlier, In case of boy students, it has been raised from Rs. 5 0 Rs. 30 per month and for girl students belonging to weaker sections from Rs. 6 to Rs. 40 per month. In ease of high school students. the brilliant students would get Rs. 100 per month as against Rs. 50 per month Earlier, The stipend for the students gelling first division has been raised from Rs. 25 to Rs. 75 per month, in ‘case of those getting second division from Rs. 30 10 Rs. 60 and those getting third division from Rs, 20 to Rs. 50 per month.
It was decided to allocate Rs, 8 crore for the dharamsalas belonging to the scheduled castes. Out of this, Rs. 4 crore has been earmarked for the repair of the existing dharamsalas.
The Chief Minister said that the four percent sales tax on att a and rice had been abolished with immediate effect. This would benefit the traders by about Rs. 5 crore, the summary assessment limit has been raised from Rs. 5 lakh to Rs, 10 lakh. The 15% hike in sales tax every year on this assessment has also been withdrawn. js was announced by the Chief Minister, Beant Singh at a meeting with the leaders of the Punjab Congress scheduled castes cell here.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 18, 1995
