Gehlot’s plan for drug rehab

Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment rolls out survey for better response mechanisms

Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot that for the first time a national survey would identify the victims of drug abuse spanning 185 districts, 1.5 lakh households and six lakh individuals. The survey is already under way and expected to be completed by March-April. For the first time, Rs 200 crore has been provided for rehabilitation of victims  and 15 pilot districts across the country would be taken up for intensive activities.

The Minister further announced that there had been an increase of 12.10 per cent in the budget allocation for his ministry. In 2017-18, it was Rs  6,908 crore,  which has now been increased to Rs 7,750 crore. Also there is an increase of 11.57 per cent in the budget allocation for schemes in 2018-19 over last year. In addition, there can be increase of 41.03 per cent for the welfare of OBCs in 2018-19 over the previous year.

He informed that a new Venture Capital Fund for OBCs, on the lines of Venture Capital Fund for SCs,  would be launched with an initial corpus of Rs 200 crore.

The Minister said that the Skill Development Training has been given to 13,587 manual scavengers and their dependants. Also, 809 manual scavengers and their dependants have been provided bank loans.

Under the scheme of rehabilitation of drug victims, outpatient facilities will be provided in all the centres supported by his department. Instead of de-addiction centres, they will be renamed as Treatment Clinics. Such clinics will be set up in major prisons, juvenile homes and major Government hospitals in the states.

The Minister also said that for the Pre-Matric Scholarship for OBC, the income eligibility has been increased from Rs 44,500 to Rs 2.5 lakh per annum. For Pre-Matric Scholarship for SC, the income eligibility has been raised from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh. For free coaching for SC and OBC students, the income eligibility has been raised from Rs 4.5 to Rs  6 lakhs. Stipend has been raised from Rs  1500 to Rs  2500 for local students and from Rs 3000 to Rs 5000 for outstation students. Also, for Pre-matric Scholarship for OBC, the rate of scholarships has been increased substantially. 

He added that the earlier rates of scholarships of day  scholars from Class I to V, Class VI to VIII and Class IX to X were Rs  25, Rs 40 and Rs 50 respectively for 10 months. This has now been revised to Rs  100 per month for 10 months from Class I to X.

Earlier rates of scholarships of hostellers from Class III to VIII and Class IX to X were Rs 200 and Rs 250 respectively for ten months which have now been revised to Rs 500 per month for 10 months from Class III to X.

Ad hoc granted for all students under the scheme is Rs  500 per annum. However, under the National Fellowship for Scheduled Castes, the assistance has been increased from Rs 25,000 to Rs 28,000 per student.