New pension scheme for poor launched in Bihar; this is what Mukhyamantri Vriddha Pension Yojna is all about

Mukhyamantri Vriddha Pension Yojna: The Bihar government has announced a new pension scheme for poor people in the state. The scheme was launched by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday. Under the Mukhyamantri Vriddha Pension Yojna, benefits will be extended to poor people above 60 years of age in the state. The scheme, which is effective from April 1, 2019, will not cover retired government employees. As part of the scheme, the government will provide a financial aid of Rs 400 per month to poor people above 60 years of age while those above 80 years will get Rs 500 per month. 

After launching the scheme, state chief minister Nitish Kumar said the state government had created a special fund of Rs 18,000 crore for the scheme which "will give the elderly poor respect and dignity". So far, 2 lakh people have applied online for the pension and the government expects the applications to go up to 35 to 36 lakh. 

Meanwhile, the state government has also got assurance of help from Centre for strengthening surveillance mechanisms amid reports of rise in cases of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome and Japanese Encephalitis in some districts of the state. The Union Health minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday met Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey and pitched for mounting extensive awareness campaigns, especially in the districts reporting rise in the cases of both the disease. Vardhan said people should be sensitised to the need for taking their children for timely treatment to nearby primary health centres (PHCs) before the child gets critical.

"Timely identification of the symptoms of hypoglycemia shall hugely contribute to timely and effective treatment. The children should be brought to the PHC as soon as these symptoms are noticed," Vardhan said.

Vardhan also suggested that as the cases are from some defined areas in the high load districts, the state should also involve other stakeholders like IMA and NGOs for widespread awareness and education campaigns. He sought active involvement of the district administration to make every deputy collector in-charge of one tehsil each to actively monitor and ensure that no child reaches a critical condition and that they are taken to the nearest health centre.