The Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Aruna Chaudhary today said that the Punjab Government led by the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has undertaken specialized initiatives aimed at the empowerment of women and provided increased opportunities to carve out a niche for themselves in the society.Speaking on the occasion of State level festival ‘Tiyan Teej Diyan’ at Dinanagar, the minister said that as part of the women empowerment strategy, the State Government earlier celebrated ‘Dhiyan Di Lohri’ when the certificate bearing the signatures of the Chief Minister were given to new born daughters.Divulging more, Mrs. Chaudhary said that the State Government has provided 33 percent reservation to the women in the government jobs and 50 percent in local body and Panchayats elections, free bus travel facility, free sanitary pads to women under Mata Tripta Mahila Yojna, financial assistance to the pregnant mothers under Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojna, Widow pension has been doubled and financial assistance to the dependent women has also been increased. The distribution process of social security pension, increased from Rs. 750 per month to Rs. 1500 per month on July 1, from August 1 onwards has been set in motion, said the minister adding budgetary provision of Rs. 4000 crore, which is 72 percent more than Rs. 2320 crore budgetary expenditure in 2020-21, during the current fiscal has been kept for distributing pensions to 26,21,201 beneficiaries.
It is noteworthy that as many as 17,64,909 old age people, 4,90,539 widows and destitute women, 2,09,110 Divyang persons and 1,56,643 dependent children would derive the benefit form doubled pension.On the occasion, the Director, Social Security, Women and Child Development Mr. Vipul Ujwal said that with today’s State level festival, a beginning has been made to make the women aware about various facilities being given by the women and now, a series of such functions would be held.Earlier, the minister was accorded a very warm welcome who also visited various food stalls and greatly relished the delicious food. The programme culminated with Giddha performance.Among others present on the occasion included Senior Congress leader Ashok Chaudhary, Joint Director Gurjinder Singh Maur, Sarabjit Kaur Pahra wife of MLA Gurdaspur, Shahla Qadri wife of Deputy Commissioner Gurdaspur, Dr. Harneet Kaur Bhatia wife of SSP Gurdaspur, SDM Dinanagar Inayat, Vice Chairperson Women’s Commission Amritbir Kaur Walia, Satinder Kaur wife of President Municipal Council Gurdaspur, Abhinav Chaudhary, District programme Officer Amarjit Singh Bhullar, District Social Security Officer Rajinder Singh, District Programme Officer Sri Amritsar Manjinder Singh, Chairman Block Samiti Dinanagar Harvinder Singh Bhatti and President Municipal Council Neetu Chauhan.