Ranchi, Dec 29
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren Friday announced pension benefits for tribals and dalits when they reach 50 years of age.
Soren made the announcement while addressing a function held here to mark the completion of four years of the JMM-led government in the state. “The government has decided to provide pension benefits to tribals and dalits when they turn 50. The death rate among them is high and they do not get jobs after 60 years of age. It will be specially beneficial to the endangered particularly vulnerable tribal groups in the state,” he said.
Only 16 lakh people in the state had received pension benefits in 20 years since the formation of Jharkhand in 2000. The number of beneficiaries has increased under the JMM-led government and it now provides pension to 36 lakh people, the chief minister claimed.
“In the four years of our government, we have given pension benefits to 36 lakh people above 60 years of age. The benefit is given also to widows above 18 years of age and physically challenged persons,” he said. Asserting that the JMM-led UPA government in Jharkhand is working “relentlessly” for the welfare of the people, he said a large number of schemes were implemented in the state for the first time. The schemes include the state government’s outreach programme ‘Aapki Yojna, Aapki Sarkar, Aaapke Dwar’ which are programmed to deliverthe benefits of government schemes to villagers at their doorsteps. The chief minister also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 343 projects worth Rs 4,547 crore on the occasion. Taking a dig at the opposition BJP, Soren said that it has been creating hurdles in providing government jobs to youths in Jharkhand and the state government will work to provide employment to them.“When our government tried to make employment policy based on 1932 Khatiayan (land records), the opposition felt pain and conspired against it. They (opposition) whispered into the governor’s ear and created trouble …. When others states do not have any problem in giving jobs to local people, why is there a problem in our state?” he asked.
To ensure jobs to local youths, the government has made a rule of 75 per cent reservation for locals in private jobs, the chief minister said.
