Six Vanarmare tribals to get welfare benefits for first time
For the first time, members of the Vanarmare tribal community of Nirankal will receive regular financial assistance under a govt welfare scheme.
Govt has sanctioned the Dayanand Social Security Scheme (DSSS) for six tribals from the community, comprising three senior citizens aged 65 to 67 years, and three persons with disabilities aged 45, 48, and 54 years.
Last month, the social welfare department went out to meet the community and observed that none of them were availing themselves of any social welfare schemes.
'They will begin receiving Rs 2,000 each under the scheme from July, which will be credited to them in Aug,' director of social welfare Ajit Panchwadlar told
TOI
. 'Rs 2,000 is a huge amount for them considering their present living conditions. This money will help take care of their needs, including medication, and earn them respect in their families. Taking this money back home will turn them into an important member of their families,' he said.
'This is not a one-time gift. This is the first time the govt has reached out to them to extend a govt welfare scheme,' Panchwadkar said. The govt is also looking at proper housing for them and is considering rehabilitating them.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Rain stalls work, Dec new deadline for clearing legacy waste from Sec 23 dumping ground
Panchkula : In what will prolong the inconvenience for residents, the Panchkula municipal corporation is going to miss its Aug 31 deadline for clearing the legacy waste from the dumping ground in Sector 23. Dec is the new deadline for the bioremediation of the entire waste. A fresh tender to clear 1.70 lakh tonnes of waste was allotted to an agency. Work started this April with Rs 11.50 crore. However, officials told TOI that 1.25 lakh metric tonnes of garbage is yet to be lifted. The project entailed clearing the site of waste accumulated over the past 15 years. "The pace of work slowed down due to the rains. Little progress could be made. Wet garbage does not get bioremediated and gets stuck in the machine, so it will not get completed by Aug 31. We will clear it by Dec," said an MC official. It must be recalled that the city scored 99% in the category of remediation of dumpsites during the recent Swachh Survekshan. The official credited it to the removal of garbage from a dumping ground in Jhuriwala, followed by a huge pile of dump from Sector 23. The state govt had given its go-ahead for the removal of the remaining 1.70 LMT of garbage from Sector 23, which is the final phase of the work. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo Under the previous tender, 3.72 LMT of waste was cleared in three years by the contractor. The second phase work was also assigned to the existing contractor. The issue of the dumping ground has remained a significant political flashpoint, particularly during the last Lok Sabha and assembly elections. Frustrated with alleged govt apathy and years of neglect, residents launched major protests, demanding a permanent solution. The area surrounding the dumping ground in Sector 23 reeks of an unbearable, foul stench, making it very difficult for residents to keep their doors and windows open to let the air in. The area is frequented by stray cattle, dogs, and other animals and insects. It presents a poor picture of the city, which got its worst-ever national ranking of 219 in the Swachh Survekshan in the segment of cities with a 50,000 to 3 lakh population. It is the city's worst national ranking in the eight-year history of the survey. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Teachers demanding salary hike impart lessons on protest site
1 2 G uwahati: An unusual scenario unfolded in the city as about 50 children, all between 6 and 14 years of age, were seen attending lessons in the middle of a protest grounds in Chachal. For the last 20 days, teachers under the banner of Jyoti Kendra Siksha Karmi Sanstha (Assam) have been on a hunger strike, pressing for their rights. Coming from various districts of Assam, they say they are part of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan — India's flagship programme aimed at achieving universal elementary education. Since 2003, these teachers have been working with children from marginalised backgrounds, including school dropouts and those who are survivors of sexual violence or child labour victims. "We have been protesting since the end of July. We work under the scheme with a salary of just Rs 6,500. We have been teaching these children for many years, yet despite multiple meetings with the education department, our concerns remain unresolved. We want financial security for teachers above 60 years and consolidated salary that would allow us to support our families," Munmun Chetia, the president of the organisation, said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo According to the teachers, these students had been on vacation, but when classes resumed in Aug, they returned to find the centres and schools empty, as the teachers were away protesting. In search of their teachers, the students eventually made their way to the protest site. "These students, all from Guwahati, have shown the determination to carry on with their education, regardless of the circumstances. Even when we requested them not to visit the protest site, they refused to stay away, insisting that they did not want to fall behind in their studies," Chetia added. Their guardians, equally committed to their children's learning, urged us to hold regular classes despite the ongoing agitation. Many of them personally assured us that the children would be present every day from 7.30 am, ready with their books and notebooks." She also said that these students have said that they would come regularly to attend classes, just like the normal school routine. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Fewer dogs, more bites; Chandigarh's canine conundrum
Chandigarh: As people settled, expanded and thrived in Chandigarh over the decades, so did dogs. With time, humans and dogs not only formed a solid bond but also frequently got on each other's wrong side — resulting in dogbite cases. In 2019, 13,000 dogbite cases were reported in the city, which increased to more than 40,000 in 2024. By the end of July this year, dog bite cases stood at 23,000. Strangely though, increase in the number of dogbite cases is accompanied by decrease in the number of stray dogs. According to the 2018 census conducted by the UT animal husbandry department, the stray dog population at the time was nearly 13,000 (12,922). While official figures for the latest census (2024-2025), completed earlier this year, are yet to be made public, UT officials peg the dog population at around 9,500. As per an MC survey conducted in 2023 on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court, the population of stray dogs stood at 9,500. Over the last 10 years (2015-2025), the MC claims to have sterilised nearly 31,000 stray dogs in the city. That raises difficult questions for residents and authorities, who are divided on how to deal with the problem. Rakesh Soni, a resident of Sector 22, whose wife was once bitten by a stray dog, said, "I take care of six stray dogs in my area. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Simple Morning Habit for a Flatter Belly After 50! Lulutox Undo Not all dogs mean harm to humans. If we manage them humanely, they live peacefully alongside us." On the other hand, there are some who believe that dogs are too dangerous to be let loose. Pankaj Gupta, chief spokesman, FOSWAC, advocates implementation of the Supreme Court judgement on Delhi in Chandigarh as well. "Stray dogs have made city residents' lives a living hell. The situation is very dangerous, especially for the elderly and children. Packs of six to 10 dogs roam the streets and attack people," he asserted. Personal views on the subject apart, the issue of finances and logistics remains. "Feeding 9,000 stray dogs in a shelter could cost anywhere between Rs 10 lakh to Rs 30 lakh per day, depending on the quality of feed. Besides, a large chunk of land will be required. Sterilisation has helped reduce the stray dog population in the city," an MC official said. The Animal Birth Control (ABC) centre in Raipur Kalan can only handle 310 dogs at a time. As for dog bite cases, canines of City Beautiful cannot be held solely responsible, the official pointed out. "People from nearby locations also come to Chandigarh for treatment of dog bite cases," he said. **BOX1: Dog bite cases in Chandigarh from 2019 to 2025 (till July 2025)* Year | Cases 2019 | 13,628 2020 | 20,344 2021 | 23,875 2022 | 29,190 2023 | 36,300 2024 | 40,153 2025 (till July) | 23,198 BOX2: Number of dog bite cases in Chandigarh till July 2025 Month | Cases Jan | 3,462 Feb | 2,977 Mar | 3,515 Apr | 3,277 May | 3,032 June | 2,917 July | 4,018 Total | 23,198 *Source: UT health department BOX3: Number of dogs sterilised in Chd since 2014-15 Period | Dogs sterilised April 2015-Jun 2017 | 9,114 Aug 2017-Sep 2019 | 4,971 Sep 2020 – Nov 2021 | 6,721 Jun 2022-Sep 2024 | 5,817 Oct 2023-Feb 2025 | 4,615 Total | 31,238 BOX4: Anti-Rabies Vaccination (ARV) drive (Jan 2024-July 2025) 2024 Month | Total Vaccination Jan | 800 Feb | 693 Mar | 791 Apr | 1,068 May | 1,126 Jun | 1,057 Jul | 787 Aug | 608 Sep | 362 Oct | 342 Nov | 255 Dec | 235 2025 Month | Total Vaccination Jan | 434 Feb | 220 Mar | 307 Apr | 283 May | 290 Jun | 0 July | 0 Total | 9,658 Source: Chandigarh Municipal Corporation MSID:: 123261143 413 | Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
