Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday announced that all women who are victims of acid attacks will get a site, home, and Rs 5 lakh for self-employment.
Bommai said this while launching a helpline that promises to deliver pensions within 72 hours.
“I’ve directed officials and the order will be issued (Saturday). All acid-attack victims will get sites and homes will be constructed for them under our schemes,” Bommai said. “Not just that. Because these women find it difficult to get jobs, we will give each one Rs 5 lakh for self-employment so that they can start small businesses,” he said.
“The life of our sisters who go through acid-attack is very difficult and sorrowful. We feel torture when a small speck of dust enters our eyes. They permanently lose eyesight, face difficulty in breathing, and can't eat properly. They also go through a sense of isolation,” Bommai said. “When I asked them who attacked them with acid, they said it was their husbands. We must hang our heads in shame,” he said.
The CM said the government has hiked the monthly pension for acid attack victims from Rs 3,000 to Rs 10,000 to make sure the women become self-dependent. “This should have been done long ago,” he said.
Dial 155245 for pensions
Citizens can dial the toll-free number 155245 to apply for pensions, which Revenue Minister R Ashoka said will be delivered within 72 hours. The number will also serve as a helpline for citizens to raise issues or get clarity on the revenue department’s programmes.
At present, Karnataka offers nine monthly pensions, which cover old age, disability, widows, unmarried/divorced women, transgenders, acid attack victims, and endosulfan patients. “There are 73.23 lakh monthly pension beneficiaries. This financial year, Rs 9,483.51 crore has been earmarked for pensions,” he said.
“Doorstep delivery of pensions is one of the first such experiments in the entire country. The concerned department will accept pension requests via telephone call and the beneficiary has to provide an Aadhaar number. The application will be forwarded to the respective village accountant (VA). The VA will then visit the beneficiary's house to collect details. Then, the application will be forwarded to the deputy tahsildar's office which will do all the necessary validation and beneficiaries will get an SMS on sanction of pension within 72 hours," Ashoka explained.