RANCHI: In a first of its kind initiative in the country, Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren on Wednesday launched ‘Vidhwa Punarvivah Protsahan Yojana’ (widow remarriage incentive scheme) under which, women who chose to get married again after the death of their husbands, will be given an incentive of Rs 2 lakh by the government.
According to officials, the beneficiary should be of marriageable age and not a government employee, pensioner or income tax payer. To avail the benefits, the beneficiary will have to apply within one year from the date of remarriage and submit the death certificate of her late husband.
Government employees, pensioners and income tax payers have been kept out of this scheme, they said. Child Development and Social Welfare Secretary Manoj Kumar said women who are alone in society after the death of their life partners become helpless and may make a fresh start again. The state will provide financial assistance to all such widows if they choose to get married again, he said.
“In order to empower the women, Vidhwa Punarvivah Protsahan Yojana’ was launched by Chief Minister Champai Soren on Wednesday under which Rs 2 lakh is being provided to the widows getting married again. The scheme will give a boost to the self confidence of widows and change the social opinion towards the remarriage of the women” added Kumar.
He informed that a total of Rs 14 lakh was distributed among seven beneficiaries of the scheme by the chief minister during a programme organised at Tana Bhagat Indoor Stadium in Ranchi on Wednesday.
CM also announced that the Anganwadi workers will now get an honorarium of Rs 9,500 and helpers will get Rs 4750 every month. On the occasion, the CM transferred the first installment of old age pension to the bank accounts of 1,58,218 people.
TOWARDS A BETTER SOCIETY
J’khand Chief Minister announces widow remarriage incentive scheme
Widows remarrying to get Rs 2 lakh from govt
Govt employees, pensioners & I-T payers out of scheme purview
Beneficiary to apply within 1 yr from date of remarriage
Submit death certificate of late husband