Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani instructed the State administration for instant implementation of the pro-people schemes from the Budget Proposals of new fiscal 2017-18 passed in the State Assembly.
They include increasing the seats for admission to Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) by 25,000 to increase their skills through training planned by labour and Employment Department to increase the candidates’ employability.
The other scheme is to start the need-based Annapurna Yojna to provide food grains at reasonable prices to low income group, poor and Antyodaya families under the National Food Security Act in Gujarat. The State Assembly has announced the constitution of the State Food Commission for effective implementation of the relevant Act. There are 3.40-crore beneficiaries under the scheme.
Another scheme for fast-track implementation is increasing the monthly pension from Rs700 to Rs1,000 per month for senior citizens above-80, and from Rs400 to Rs500 for under-80. The objective is to ensure they live retired life with ease. There are about 6.50-lakh people under this category.
Similarly, the other fast-track scheme is increasing the assistance to physically challenged students from Rs400 to Rs600. There are about 50,000 such students in the State.
Rupani directed the administration to ensure the departments concerned promptly issued resolutions to implement the schemes to give cognition from April 1 itself. The directive is part of the Chief Minister’s four pillars of good governance – namely transparency, decisiveness, compassion and progressiveness.