BANGALORE: The State Government has increased the monthly pension to widows, the aged and people with disabilities from Rs. 200 to Rs. 400. The hike came into effect from April 2007.

Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, Minister for Women and Child Welfare H.K. Kumaraswamy said there were four lakh physically handicapped, six lakh widows and seven lakh aged persons in the State. A sum of Rs. 720 crore had been set aside for providing pension in 2007-08 as against Rs. 340 crore in 2006-07.

The Government had also increased the monthly allowance of anganwadi workers from Rs. 1,550 to Rs. 1,750 and those of assistants from Rs. 650 to Rs. 750. There were 51,000 anganwadi workers and assistants. The hike would incur Rs. 12 crore additional burden on the State exchequer. A new directorate would be established for distribution of pension, he said.

Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, who holds the Finance portfolio, had assured the doubling of pensions and increase in allowances of anganwadi workers in the budget.

SHG bhavans

Mr. Kumaraswamy said the department had decided to construct Stree Shakti bhavans in 50 most backward taluks identified by the High Powered Committee for Redressal of Regional Imbalances. Each bhavan would be constructed at a cost of Rs. 15 lakh.

The bhavans would be utilised for holding exhibition and sale of products manufactured by SHGs, functions and meetings, he said. There are 1.30 lakh SHGs in the State.

The Minister, who reviewed the implementation of department schemes in Bangalore Urban and Bangalore Rural districts, said "Swadhara" centres would be opened in all districts in the current year. Two centres would be opened at Kanakapura and Doddaballapur in Bangalore Rural district.

Stipend

He said the department would offer stipend of Rs. 1,000 a month for 400 women lawyers belonging to socio-economically weaker sections, for four years.

On trafficking of women and children, he said committees formed at all levels in the State had not held regular meetings and not taken steps to control trafficking of children. He instructed the deputy commissioners, who head the panels in districts, to hold a meeting once in three months. As many as 222 children were found missing last year, according to police reports, he said.

Bhagyalakshmi scheme would be launched in all taluks from next month.

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