The State Government has decided to increase the eligibility limit of annual income for providing pension to abandoned women from exiting Rs 15,000 to Rs 45,000 per year. It would increase the number of the women that are eligible for the pension by the social welfare department of the state. A proposal for this would be brought before the State cabinet soon.  The declaration regarding this was made by the social welfare, minorities and transport minister Yashpal Arya during a meeting with the officials of the social welfare department at his Vidhan Sabha office on Thursday. A pension of Rs 1,200 per month is paid to widows and abandoned women under the scheme.

In the meeting the minister directed the officials to start a campaign to increase the number of beneficiaries of social welfare schemes in the state. He said that the selection of the eligible candidates for various pension schemes of the social welfare department should be done in a transparent manner. The Minister said that monitoring of the proposals sent to the Government of India should be done and their proper follow up should be ensured. Expressing his annoyance for lack of proper advocacy for the Babu Jagjivan Ram hostels, Arya asked the officials to keep a special focus on it. He stressed the need for an extensive campaign to ensure that benefits of welfare schemes of government are reached to the maximum number of eligible candidates. While reviewing the work of minorities welfare department, the minister stressed that the schemes of the department are not limited to Muslims so a broad view should be adopted for these schemes. The secretary social welfare L Fenai, Additional secretary Ram Vilas Yadav, director Vinod Giri Goswami and others were present on the occasion.