A month ahead of the second anniversary ofJMM-Congress-RJD , the state cabinet on Friday decided to introduce universal pensionschemeby bringing in necessary amendments to pension rules on the recomendation of the Women, child development and social security department.
After the amendments, pension will be available universally to all eligible people with two exclusion categories. A person of 60 years of age, any specially-abled person or widow above the age of 18 years and those entitled to pension under any other category will now be excluded only if the beneficiary or an immediate family member is an Income tax payee or if the beneficiary or family member is a permanent employee of the state, Centre or public-sector undertaking.
The amendments have been introduced in centrally sponsored pension schemes under the National Social Assistance Programme and social security pension schemes operated under the state plan.
The 11-member cabinet also approved a new Mukhyamantri Swasthya Sahayata Yojana. The scheme will provide one-time financial grant to people from SC, ST and OBC communities if they lose their capabilities to earn their livelihood due to ailments. Senior citizens will get one-time benefit up to Rs 10,000 while those below 60 years will get benefits up to Rs 5,000.
The cabinet also gave its approval to the state department of school Education and literacys proposal to provide free textbooks to students of class 9 and 10 in all government schools. It also approved a proposal to provide bicycles to all government school students. Earlier, the Money for cycles were provided to schoolchildren through direct-benefit transfers.