Shimla, Jan 2 (FN Agency) Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said here on Sunday that the State government was committed to ensure the welfare of needy children, especially orphans, destitute women and senior citizens. He said that on the very first day after taking oath as the Chief Minister, he visited the Girl Child Care Institute, Tutikandi in Shimla to know about the functioning of the institute. Besides, he also inspected Nari Seva Sadan and Old Age Ashram, Mashobra. He felt that a lot more needed to be done for destitute children, women and senior citizens. He said that the government was the guardian of the children who do not have parents. A notification has already been issued by the state government to provide festival grant of Rs. 500 to the residents of Child Care Institutions, Nari Seva Sadan, Shakti Sadan and Old Age Homes to celebrate the festivals. The Chief Minister said that the state government would set up the Chief Minister’s Sukhashray Sahayata Kosh with an outlay of Rs 101 crore so that the facility of higher education could be provided to needy children and destitute women. The state government will bear the expenditure on skill development education, higher education and vocational training of such children in engineering colleges, IIIT, NIT, IIM, IT, polytechnic institutes, nursing and degree colleges etc.
They will also be given financial assistance as per their requirement so that they can lead a respectable life. Besides, financial assistance would also be taken from the MLAs. He said that receiving assistance from this fund would be free from government restrictions and no income certificate would be taken from them. The assistance will be given directly to the beneficiary’s account immediately by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment on simple application. Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that efforts will also be made to seek financial assistance under CSR from philanthropists and companies etc. so that all the vulnerable sections could be provided with good and high quality facilities. The Chief Minister said that children living in child care institutions, all children being benefited under foster care, destitute women living in Nari Seva Sadan, Shakti Sadan and residents of old age homes would be benefited under this scheme. He said that if any other orphan child is identified by the District Child Protection Unit, he will also be benefited under this scheme.