The number of women brought under the eligibility net of the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojana in Himachal Pradesh, which provides financial assistance of ₹1,500 each, has crossed three lakh. According to the state government, around 3.06 lakh women have been placed within the scheme’s eligibility so far. The process of scrutinising applications and finalising the eligibility list has now been speeded up.
The government plans to hand over ₹1,500 each to eligible women at the event to be held to mark four years of the Congress government in the state.
Verification of applications
A large number of applications have been received under the scheme, while complaints have also emerged regarding the eligibility of some applicants. A committee headed by the SDM has been formed to look into such cases. It will hear the appeals and submissions of applicants and examine eligibility-related matters.
Committees headed by the SDM and the BDO will verify the genuineness of applications and ensure that applicants meet the prescribed conditions. Applications that have drawn complaints or objections will also be examined. The government says the aim is that the benefit reaches genuinely needy women and that no eligible woman’s application remains pending due to technical or other reasons.
Eligibility conditions
As per the revised rules of the scheme:
- Only women aged 21 to 59 years are eligible.
- The woman must be a permanent resident of Himachal Pradesh.
- The annual family income must be below ₹2 lakh.
- Only one woman per family can receive the assistance.
- Buddhist nuns residing permanently in Buddhist monasteries have also been included.
Categories excluded or under scrutiny
Certain categories fall under ineligibility provisions. These include families with a regular employee or pensioner of the Central or state government. Categories related to contract, outsourced, daily-wage and part-time employees will also be scrutinised. Cases involving families of serving and former soldiers and war widows will be examined as per the prescribed rules. Anganwadi workers and helpers, ASHA workers, mid-day meal workers and multi-task workers are also covered under the ineligibility provisions, along with employees of Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies and other related categories.
Minister’s statement
Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh said the number of eligible women has reached 3.06 lakh and that committees headed by the SDM and BDO will check the genuineness of applications. He said the government plans to give money to women on completing four years in office. How many women will finally receive assistance will become clear only after the administrative scrutiny is completed and the eligibility list is finalised.
