Indora, Aug 15: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday announced four per cent interim relief to the employees and pensioners from July 1.

Speaking during Independence Day celebrations organised in this town in Kangra district, he announced the ex-servicemen and their widows, who were not getting any pension, would now get a social security pension of Rs 3,000 per month. Earlier, they were getting Rs 500 a month.

Thakur announced that the income limit for getting benefits of schemes being implemented by the state Sainik Kalyan Department would be increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 7 lakh.

This would benefit nearly 5,000 ex-servicemen families in the state, a government statement said. The Chief Minister announced the opening of a Public Works Department division and construction of Mini Secretariat at Indora.

He announced enhancement of grant being provided to the kin of the person who dies in attacks by the wild animal from Rs 1.20 lakh to Rs 4 lakh and for those seriously injured from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh.

He also announced to enhance the grant being given in case of death of milching cattle from Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000. Thakur earlier hoisted the national flag and took the salute from contingents of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), state police, Home Guards and the National Cadet Corps (NCC).

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 15, 2018 05:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).