The Prime Minister has repeatedly declared that
this government is a government of the poor and for the poor.
Growth with social justice will be the motto of this government.
Unless the country's GDP grows at over 7% per year in the next 10
years, we will not be able to abolish poverty and unemployment.
However, there is a need to identify vulnerable sections of the
people and help them. The Prime Minister has identified some
target groups which deserve to be helped and I am proposing some
new initiatives for meeting their special needs. These
initiatives will be implemented through the State governments
and, as far as possible, in collaboration with non-
governmental organisations.
I am setting apart, initially, a sum of Rs.5
crore to assist in the establishment of old-
age homes and another sum of Rs. 5 crore to
assist in the establishment of residential
primary schools for poor children
irrespective of caste or creed. It is
intended that both these programmes should
be implemented through non-governmental
organisations. The programmes will be firmed
up by the Ministries concerned in
consultation with the State governments.
Rs.10 crore is being provided for giving
assistance to States which have or will set
up Women Development Corporations. An
additional amount of Rs.10 crore has been set
apart for starting training-cum-production
centres or schemes for destitute women in
different States.
I am creating a National Illness Assistance Fund
with an initial corpus of Rs.5 crore. Besides,
Rs.25 crore have been set apart for contributions
to the corpus of State Illness Assistance Funds
that we would encourage the State governments to
establish. 100% of the donations to these funds
will be exempt from income tax. These funds will
be used to provide assistance to the very poor for
surgery or treatment for serious illnesses
requiring hospitalisation.
Rs.5 crore is being provided to award an ex-
gratia amount of Rs.50,000 per family to the
families of lorry and bus drivers who meet
with fatal accidents. This will be
implemented by the State governments on a
reimbursible basis.
I am making a provision of Rs.5 crore for
building residential facilities for hamals -
our brothers who toil day and night. This
scheme will also be implemented by the
States.
Government will consider a scheme of financial
assistance to States who confer ownership rights in respect of
minor forest produce on Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other
Backward Classes and other weaker sections who work in forests.
