Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 08 2009:
Twenty-seven widows living with HIV/AIDS residing within Wangkhei Assembly Constituency, beneficiaries of Family Benefits Scheme of the state Social Welfare Department have been given Rs.10,000 each at a function held at the resident of the state Food and Civil Supply minister, Y Erabot today.
The amounts were handed over to the widow beneficiaries by the FCS minister.
In the same function, the Minister also distributed 100 litres each to around 1000 the kerosene mobile card holder hawkers.
The amount distributed to the 27 widows living with HIV/AIDS were among 141 beneficiaries under the scheme which the Minister given from his own pocket in the form of pension Rs 500 per month.
Due to the interference by the underground elements demanding percentage from the scheme funds and threatening by firing guns and lobbing bombs for not meeting their demands, the amounts could not be distributed to the beneficiaries in time, the Minister expressed.
I don't feel afraid of anyone while taking initiative for making available the amount gettable by the poor and helpless beneficiaries.
They should not indulge in threatening.
It is not true on the part of the undergrounds to intervene in it, Erabot said.
He further said that as it is not convenient on the part of the elderly people, beneficiaries of the old age pension under the state social welfare to go to avail the money from 2nd MR ground, he will look into the matter that around 400 pensioners of the scheme under his constituency to avail it from his home.