CHANDIGARH: The Himachal Pradesh government will introduce a law to provide 25 per cent reservation for women in recruitment to Class-III posts in government departments and initiate a special recruitment drive for women Sub-Inspectors in the State police.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu made the announcements on the occasion of International Women’s Day, while presiding over the state-level function held in Nahan, in Sirmaur district.
He said that the government was committed to strengthening women’s participation in policing and other public services. During the function, Sukhu announced Rs. 500 crore for the development of Nahan Medical College. He also said that the institution would be upgraded with improved infrastructure and better medical facilities.
He also announced to increase Mahila Samman Rashi from Rs. one lakh to Rs. two lakh. In addition, MSc Zoology, MBA and MA History courses would be introduced from the next academic session at PG College Nahan.
Sukhu said that women’s welfare was the top priority of the present state government, and women were focussed in every government initiative.
He said that the government has ensured equal rights for daughters in ancestral property up to 150 bighas. He also said that under Mukhyamantri Sukh Shiksha Yojana, the state government was bearing the cost of higher education for the children of widowed women.
He said that the entire administrative leadership of the Lahaul-Spiti district was currently in the hands of women and that the Deputy Commissioners of Sirmaur and Hamirpur districts were also women officers.
He said that the state government has also increased the legal minimum age for marriage to 21 years.
The government was also encouraging widow remarriage, and the incentive amount has been increased from Rs 65,000 to Rs. 2 lakh.
He said a 30 per cent reservation has already been provided to women in police recruitment, and the government was considering providing a monthly pension of Rs. 1,500 to women in the State from next year.
He said that the government was also strengthening the rural economy and had already fulfilled seven key guarantees.
The honorarium of Anganwadi workers has been increased to Rs 10,500. Anganwadi helpers would now get Rs 5,800.