Himachal Pradesh budget 2023: Top pension schemes and announcements for women and youth

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday presented the first annual budget in his tenure for the financial year 2023-24 in the state assembly. The chief minister announced several schemes for the welfare of citizens, including women and youth. He also said that Himachal Pradesh will be made the model state for adopting electrical vehicles in the state's public transport.

In the first phase, Sukhu said that 2,31,000 women will get Rs 1,500 per month as promised, adding that the payout will cost Rs 416 crore per year to the exchequer. Additionally, he said that Rs 1.50 lakh would be provided to 7,000 widows for making house under CM Vidhva and Ekal Nari Awas Yojna.

Himachal Pradesh Budget proposed to extend pension benefits to disabled people. A social security pension has been announced for widows and the disabled, while the Sukhashraya scheme has been launched for orphans.

CM announced social security pensions for 40,000 new beneficiaries.

He added that there will be abolishment of age limit for the widow pension scheme.

On restoring the old pension scheme (OPS), the chief minister said that it will benefit 1.36 lakh employees.

Earlier this month, Himachal Pradesh cabinet approved the implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) from April 1. The move is likely to put a burden of Rs 1,000 crore on the state exchequer.

The contribution towards NPS by the government and the employees would stop from April 1 and if any employee wants to opt for NPS, he/she can give the consent to the government. The employees will also be brought under the ambit of GPF and those employees under New Pension Scheme (NPS), who have retired after May 15, 2003, will be given OPS from the prospective date.

The state hiked the daily wages under the central government's Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) from Rs 212 to Rs 240. It said that around 30,000 vacant posts in various state government departments will be filled in the coming financial year.

On education sector, CM said that libraries will be open in all secondary schools and tablets will be given to 10,000 meritorious students, He added that honorarium of Rs 4,000 will be made orphans studying any course.