Pension for fluorosis-hit

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, OCT. 26. The Government has decided to sanction pension to all fluorosis-affected people in the State under the disabled category.

At a high-level meeting held here on Tuesday, the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, wanted officials to identify all the fluorosis-affected people and pay pension to them. He also asked them to explore the possibility of hiking the existing disabled pensions from Rs. 75 to Rs. 150. This year 1.50 lakhs disabled people were identified for disbursement of pension. The Velugu project was asked to effectively implement the Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) programmes in 110 mandals.

Honorarium

The Government decided to pay honorarium to all anganwadi workers and helpers on the first of every month. It was also decided to extend early childhood centres to all anganwadi kendras, enhance incentives to the girl child, streamline the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and initiate steps to prevent child marriages.

Speaking to reporters, Principal Secretary, Women Development and Child Welfare, Prabhakar D.Thomas, said that functioning of the ICDS projects would be streamlined by tagging on three mandals under one project. There are 350 on going projects in the State and 13 more are being added from November.

He said the Government noting the hardship faced by anganwadi workers decided to pay honorarium on first of every month working in 54,000 centres. The Government is also examining a proposal to enhance the honorarium for the anganwadi workers.

The Government has sought permission from the Centre to sanction 8,094 additional ICDS centres. The Women Development and Child Welfare Department has been asked to launch a scheme to curb child marriages.

http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/10/27/stories/2004102710660300.htm