Chandigarh, November 5 – Haryana Chief Minister Mr. Manohar Lal today announced a hike of Rs.200 per month in all social security pensions like old age samman allowance, widow pension, pension for persons with disabilities, dwarfs pension etc with effect from January 1, 2015. This increase of Rs.200 would be effective every for the next five years so that it would reach Rs.2000 per month after a period of five years.
The Chief Minister, who was addressing a press conference shortly after presiding over Cabinet Meeting here today, said that it would be a New Year gift to all beneficiaries covered under the social security pension.
He said that all the beneficiaries would get pension through bank accounts from February next year. He said that every household has a bank account as per the policy of Central Government and Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojna has been launched to meet this purpose. Distribution of pensions through bank accounts only would also prohibit any type of irregularities, he added.
The Chief Minister also informed that all the concerned departments have been directed to review the decisions taken by previous government after May 16, 2014 and submit a report on the same within fifteen days so that further action could be taken on such decisions. There were 115 such decisions of 23 departments. He said that some decisions were taken by departments itself on which concerned Ministers would take further action after proper review, he added.
In reply to a question, Mr. Manohar Lal said that the monthly hike of Rs.200 in social security pensions would benefit the beneficiaries of these schemes to the tune of about Rs.520 crore annually.
On being asked to comment on what action to be taken on complaints about irregularities in land deals including Robert Vadra, he said that all types of complaints were being examined. Action would soon be taken on such complaints after adopting a prescribed procedure. When his attention was drawn on the government’s move towards eradication of corruption, he said that all the departments have been asked to find out the areas where there could be possibilities of corruption. He informed that following the complaints of Vigilance, state government today has taken action against erring officers and officials of Irrigation Department who were found responsible in similar case in the allotment of work at Hathni Kund Barrage.
In reply to another query, the Chief Minister said that state government would abide by the order of Punjab and Haryana Court concerning Sant Rampal.
Those present on this occasion included Chief Secretary Mrs. Shakuntala Jakhu, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. Sanjeev Kaushal, OSD Mr. Jawahar Yadav and Director General Information, Public Relations and Cultural Affairs Department Mr. Sudhir Rajpal.