Jharkhand to reduce qualifying age for pension for women to 50 years

The Jharkhand government has decided to reduce the qualifying age for pension for women to 50 years from the existing 60 years.

Women, Child Development and Social Security Department Secretary Kripa Nand Jha said a proposal in this regard is in an advanced stage of discussions.

According to the proposal, the qualifying age for pension for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and women will be 50 years.

“We hope to get the Cabinet nod on the proposal in the next meeting,” Jha told reporters.

After its implementation, 18 lakh beneficiaries would be added to the pension scheme in Jharkhand, he said.

Jha said a total of 35.68 lakh beneficiaries are availing themselves of pension benefits in the state. The number of pensioners increased by 82% over the past four years, he said.

Last month, Chief Minister Hemant Soren had announced that tribals and Dalits in the state will be eligible for pension benefits upon attaining the age of 50 years, instead of the earlier limit of 60 years.

Jha also said that the Women, Child Development and Social Security Department has designed a comprehensive plan for anganwadi centres.

“Every anganwadi centre will now have benches and desks. Kids in the centres will also be provided winter uniforms, reading and writing materials in a bid to provide them pre-primary school benefits along with nutrition,” he said.

Jharkhand has 38,432 anganwadi centres, but only around 25,000 have their own buildings, officials said.

“We have chalked out a plan ... to establish buildings for the remaining centres in three years,” Jha said.

Besides, plans are afoot for the transgender community too, he said.

“Separate toilets will be built for transgenders in every educational institution. A transgender board has also been proposed to be set up. We have also decided to construct old-age homes for them,” the official said.

The Jharkhand government is also encouraging widow marriage in the state, and it has launched a scheme from the current financial year, under which a one-time honorarium of Rs 2 lakh is extended, Jha said.