Toll booths collecting less than Rs 2cr a year to be run by women SHGs in MP

BHOPAL: In a “first”, the

Madhya Pradesh cabinet

on Wednesday decided that

toll booths

with annual collection of less than Rs two crore would be run by women Self-Help Groups (

SHGs

).
The state government also decided to increase the honorarium of elected office-bearers in the three-tier panchayat system.

Home minister Narottam Mishra, who is also the government’s spokesperson, said the decision about toll booths was a first in the country.

“Toll tax booths collecting less than Rs 2 crore per year will be run by

women SHGs

. This will prove to be an important decision for women empowerment,” PTI quoted Mishra as telling reporters after the cabinet meeting.

The SHGs will be paid 30 percent of the toll collection, he added.
The first toll booth will be assigned to an SHG this month, Mishra said.
The cabinet also decided to increase the salaries and allowances of elected office-bearers of district, janpad and village panchayats, he said.

With agency inputs