Kaithal, November 1
Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala today announced a bonanza for the senior citizens, unemployed blind, poor sections of society and the government employees.
The package included enhancement in the old-age pension to Rs 300 per month, unemployment allowance for the educated blind between Rs 400 and Rs 600 per month and exemption of shoes and chappals up to Rs 200 from sales tax.
The Chief Minister, who was addressing a public meeting organised on the 39th Haryana Day celebrations here, said the government had decided to enhance the old-age pension by Rs 100 per month, thus raising it to Rs 300 per month as a “mark of respect” to the senior citizens.
The enhanced pension would be from December 1.
He said Congress leader Bhajan Lal had been saying that if he returned to power he would enhance the old-age pension, but he had already announced to enhance it from next month.
Mr Chautala also announced that henceforth those unemployed blind who were either matriculate or middle standard diploma holders would get an unemployment allowance of Rs 400 per month, graduates ormatriculate diploma holders would get Rs 500 and postgraduate or graduate diploma holders would get an unemployment allowance of Rs 600 per month.
With an eye on the vote bank among the poor sections, he announced the exemption of chappals and shoes valued up to Rs 200 from sales tax.
He also announced another instalment of dearness allowance (DA) at the rate of 3 per cent for the employees of the state government.
Mr Chautala alleged the Congress was opposing all moves made for the early completion of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal. He also criticised the UPA government at the Centre for “harming the interests” of the farming community.
He said while a meagre enhancement had been made in the minimum support price of various crops, the prices of the products being manufactured in factories had been raised manifold to serve vested interests.
Former Railway Minister Nitish Kumar said Haryana had not been given justice till date and had been denied its due share of water as a result of the non-completion of the SYL canal.
He said Haryana was another home for the people of Bihar.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah joined the issue of “discrimination against the Haryana Government” raised by Mr Nitish Kumar, saying that the interests of Jammu and Kashmir had also been ignored by the Centre as well as the Punjab
Government.
