Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday announced a hike in monthly honorarium of urban sanitation workers from Rs 16,000 to Rs 17,000 and of rural sanitation workers from Rs 14,000 to Rs 15,000.

Speaking as the Chief Guest at a programme organised by Samast Anusuchit Jati Samaj at Panchkula, the CM also announced an annual allowance of Rs 2000 for equipment used in sanitation work and Rs 1000 as washing allowance.

He also announced that in rural areas where the number of sanitation workers is six, it will be increased to eight and where there are eight sanitation workers, their number will be increased to ten.

Khattar said that reservation in promotion will be applicable only where the number of highest departmental posts is three and not one.

The CM said that for Scheduled Caste families who want to educate their children in private schools, Chirag Yojana has been implemented. He said the government will also bear the fees so that the children of the poor are not deprived of higher education due to want of money.

Khattar said under the Mukhya Mantri Antyodaya Parivar Utthan Yojana, 52,000 families have been provided loans from banks for self-employment. He said through the Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP), 32,000 such youth have been identified who are graduates, unemployed and having annual family income of less than Rs 1 lakh.

“Special camps will be organized to provide employment opportunities to these youths as per their eligibility and interest so that their family income could be enhanced,” he said.

The CM said the annual income limit of BPL (below poverty line) card beneficiaries have been enhanced from Rs 1.20 lakh to Rs 1.80 lakh and as a result of this, more than 12.50 lakh new cards have been made.

He said under the Ayushman Bharat Chirayu Haryana Yojana, the annual income limit has been increased from Rs 1.80 lakh to Rs 3 lakh.

Under this, the beneficiaries can avail the benefit of free of cost treatment facility upto Rs 5 lakh on nominal payment of Rs 1500 whereas the equal amount of premium will be borne by the state government, Khattar added.