Jammu, March 20 (Scoop News) – The House today passed grants amounting to Rs. 53632.74 lakhs for the year 2012-13 in favour of the departments of Social Welfare, ARI and Trainings with voice vote.
Replying to the debate on demands for the grants the Minister for Social Welfare Mrs Sakina Itoo said that the social welfare department is the most important Department which is connected with the common man and particularly dealing with the welfare of the people who for one reason or the other have lagged behind in the process of development and deserve every sort of help and compassion from the Government.
Giving details of last three years achievements, the Minister said that during the period there was enhancement of Rs. 66 crores in the Plan-outlay and flow of funds under centrally sponsored schemes. She said that during 2009-10 plan outlay was Rs.295.08 crores while as the expenditure was Rs.258.56 crores.
The Minister said that during 2011-2012 Plan-outlay reached to Rs.303.29 crores with an expenditure of Rs. 230.03 crores (75% of Plan allocation) up to February 2012 and it is expected that the expenditure will be 100% by the end of current financial year. She said that under the centrally sponsored schemes there was a total availability of funds to the tune of Rs 323.26crores for the financial year 2009-10 which is expected to touch Rs 356.35 crore during the year 2011-12.
Mrs. Sakina said that for the benefits of the beneficiaries under financial assistance scheme for old aged, widows and handicapped persons
4 lac BPL and 2.56 lac AAY families are registered in our state. She said that for the benefit of these people the Social Welfare Department with the help of Central Government is running four schemes Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS), Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme, Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme and National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS). She said that Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS) is 100% state sponsored scheme. The Department has been successful in extending this benefit to around 5 lac persons.
The Minister said that an amount of Rs 131 crore have been spent by the department during financial year 2011-12 which were provided to 2,29,995 beneficiaries of old aged persons, women in distress and 1,23,858 physically challenged persons in the state. She said that under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) 1,29,000 beneficiaries under the age group of 65 years and above have been covered so far.
Referring to Scholarships to SC,ST,OBC and Minority Students of the State, the Minister said that Rs.49.93 crores have been provided as scholarship during the year 2010-2011 to more than 5.39 lac students of SC/ST/OBC, Minorities, G&B and Pahari Speaking communities at pre-matric and post-matric levels upto Ph. D level including professional courses.
Highlighting the achievements of the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) Mrs. Sakina said a project for opening of around 10 thousand additional Anganwari Centres has been submitted to the Government of India under new scheme Anganwari On Demand.
The Minister elaborated that more than 28,000 Anganwari Centres have been established in 141 ICDS Projects where around 9 lac women and children have been benefited, which is one lac higher than the previous years achievement. The Minister said that for the coverage of these beneficiaries, the Department is spending an amount of more than Rs. 240 crores annually which include more than Rs.98 crores on nutrition. In addition to this, there are 457 crèche centres run by Social Welfare Board benefiting more than 11 thousand children with an expenditure of more than Rs1.25 crores, she added.
The Minister said the in addition the department is implementing Rajeev Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls Commonly known as SABLA and Indira Gandhi Matrivita Saheyog Yojna (IGMSY).
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