When will Sukh Samman Nidhi scheme start in Himachal, asks Jai Ram Thakur

Shimla, Dec 1 (PTI) Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday questioned CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government regarding the delay in processing over 10 lakh applications for the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi scheme.

He asked the government when the scheme, meant for women aged between 18 and 59 years, start.

In a press statement, Thakur said CM Sukhu has been publicly claiming that the government has fulfilled its promise of providing Rs 1500 per month to the women of the state but despite these assurances, over 10 lakh applications remain pending in the government offices.

He also questioned the government's accountability, asking when the applications would be processed and when the women of the state would start receiving their monthly payments.

"It has been over nine months since the official announcement of the scheme, yet the women have not received the promised funds," he added.

"During the election, the Congress guaranteed to provide Rs 1500 to women and also told them to fill the forms. But after coming to power, the state government has been slow and unresponsive. Why is there no urgency in delivering on the promise made to women as quickly as it was during the election campaign?" he asked.

"If the government is not providing the promised benefits and allowing the forms to remain pending, then CM Sukhu should stop making false claims and apologise to the women of the state for betraying them," said the leader of opposition in the state assembly.

He called the state government's approach towards women "disrespectful and shameful".

Raising questions over the state government's criteria for eligibility, Thakur said, "The women who were declared ineligible for the honorarium were mostly from families receiving elderly or disability pensions, or those working as daily wage labourers, outsourced workers, or in schemes like MNREGA. To deny these women the benefit of this scheme based on such simple livelihoods is a clear indication of the government's insensitivity." PTI COR MNK MNK