Mukhyamantri Sukh Ashraya Yojana Announcement in HP Budget 2024-25

Himachal Pradesh govenment launched Mukhyamantri Sukh Ashraya Yojana 2024 to provide comprehensive support to orphans, specially-abled children, destitute women and elderly people in the state. With this initiative, HP state govt. wants to serve the most vulnerable section of the society and those who really needed to be taken care of and looked after. This initiative was launched firstly by CM himself from the Ridge Shimla on 3 October 2023.

CM said "In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, the state government took a decision to adopt the orphans, the specially-abled children as the "children of the state" and work for their upliftment and well being, giving them all parental care, besides taking care of the destitute women and elderly who have no one to look after".

The Chief Minister Sukhu said that despite facing financial challenges and the recent disaster that struck Himachal Pradesh, the state government has started this Sukh Ashraya Yojana.

Mukhya Mantri Sukh Ashraya Yojana in HP Budget 2024-25 

While presenting the HP Budget 2024-25, Finance Minister said "Mukhya Mantri Sukh Ashraya Yojana is an example of our intent and policy of my Government for the welfare of the last person of the society, under which more than 4,000 children have been adopted as Children of the State. I wish to give a message to every citizen of the State through this scheme that our Government will always stand with people of the State and shall work relentlessly for their welfare".

Launch of Mukhyamantri Sukh Ashraya Yojana

While launching the Mukhyamantri Sukh Ashraya Yojana on Oct 3, 2023, CM also distributed financial benefits worth Rs. 4.68 crore to eligible children. It included Rs. 15.52 lakh for fees and other hostel expenses, along with Rs. 11.52 lakh as monthly expense, benefiting 48 orphaned children for pursuing higher education. Apart from this, Rs. 7.02 lakh for fees and Rs. 4.08 lakh for monthly expenses were also distributed to 17 orphaned children enrolled in few professional courses. CM also transferred financial benefits to 1,106 beneficiaries through foster care and sponsorship, amounting to Rs. 2.65 crore. 

Mukhyamantri Sukhu made a tweet on X "आज शिमला के ऐतिहासिक रिज मैदान से राज्य स्तरीय समारोह में अनाथ, विशेष रूप से सक्षम बच्चों, निराश्रित महिलाओं और वृद्धजनों को व्यापक सहायता के दृष्टिगत मुख्यमंत्री सुख-आश्रय योजना की औपचारिक शुरूआत की। इसके साथ ही हिमाचल अनाथ बच्चों एवं अन्य वंचित वर्गों की मदद के लिए कानून बनाकर यह योजना लागू करने वाला देश का पहला राज्य बन गया। इस अवसर पर योजना के पात्र बच्चों को 4.68 करोड़ रुपये के वित्तीय लाभ का वितरण भी किया। इसमें उच्च शिक्षा प्राप्त कर रहे 48 अनाथ बच्चों को फीस और छात्रावास व्यय के रूप में 15.52 लाख रुपये तथा मासिक व्यय के रूप में 11.52 लाख रुपये शामिल हैं। इसके अतिरिक्त विभिन्न व्यावसायिक पाठ्यक्रमों में अध्ययनरत 17 अनाथ बच्चों को 7.02 लाख रुपये फीस तथा 4.08 लाख रुपये मासिक व्यय का भी वितरण किया।"

Laptops to Students from Child Care Institutes

Besides this, 30 meritorious Class 12 students from child care institutes, who had excelled in Class 10, were provided laptops. In the second phase of the initiative, 268 students from classes 10 and 12 classes will be given laptops. He also allocated ₹6 lakh to three beneficiaries for the establishment of small and micro-industries.

Rs. 4000 Monthly Financial Assistance to Orphans

The chief minister said that under the Sukh Ashraya Yojana, approximately 2,700 identified orphans living with relatives will also get monthly financial assistance of ₹4,000 until the age of 27 years. CM Sukhu said "The Government is committed to protect the interests of such vulnerable children, and has made a provision for a nurse for each child requiring motherly care and also a matron for every three children to care and nurture them".

Educational Tour for Orphan Children in Himachal Pradesh

Besides, the Sukh Ashraya Yojana also incorporates a 15-day educational tour annually for the orphan children, and their stay in three-star hotels. The air travel and all other expenses will be borne by the government. He said that these rights, as granted to orphan children, were not merely for the sake of mercy, but now it was a law to protect their rights.

Marriage Grant in Sukh Ashraya Scheme

Under the Sukh Ashraya scheme, the beneficiaries will also receive ₹10,000 as apparel allowances, ₹500 as festival grant and a marriage grant of ₹2 lakh. 

Assistance for Higher Education

For higher education, children are eligible for financial assistance of up to ₹1 lakh and a monthly pocket money of ₹4,000.

Self Employment Opportunities to Orphans

Grants of ₹2 lakh will be provided to support orphan children in establishing small or micro-industries for self-employment, he added.

Assistance for Construction of Houses to Landless Orphans

For construction of a house, the landless orphaned children will be provided financial assistance of ₹3 lakh and additionally 3 biswa of land in rural areas and 2 biswa in urban areas. Himachal Pradesh government was giving relaxation in the income limit and simplifying the process for pension and disability relief allowances for various vulnerable groups, including widows, abandoned women, and those with disabilities.

HP state government is committed to uplift the underprivileged sections of the society. Emphasising the significance of Mukhyamantri Sukh Aashray Yojana, the minister said that various decisions have been taken by the government for social welfare of the people besides, the approval of new social security pension cases.

Donate in Mukhyamantri Sukh Ashraya Kosh through the official website - https://sukhashray-hp.nic.in/