Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 11: In a Public Interest Litigation filed by Viklang Chattra Trust regarding better care of old age home, Division Bench of High Court comprising Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur today directed the Secretary, Social Welfare Department to furnish the details of allocation of funds, utilization of funds, number of beneficiaries under various schemes and mechanism to ensure that the funds are utilized for those for whom allocation has been made.
When the PIL was taken-up for hearing, the Division Bench was apprised that in pursuance of earlier orders, three status reports with regard to release of grant in aid, identification of land at Jammu and Srinagar for establishment of old age homes and publicizing various welfare schemes have been filed.
Senior Advocate Sunil Sethi argued that no substantive steps have been taken to comply with the directions issued by the court and the compliance report dated December 11, 2013 filed by the Secretary to Government, Social Welfare Department shows that in the meeting held on November 27, 2013 directions were issued with regard to establishing composite homes for providing facilities to old aged persons, physically challenged persons, deaf and dumb and orphans beginning with one in each division of the State.
The court was further apprised that the directions have also been issued to both the Directors to pursue the cases with respective Divisional Commissioners and submit the DPRs to the administrative department for projecting the cases to the Planning & Development Department/ Finance Department for release of requisite funds.
In respect of establishing old age homes to provide facilities to old aged persons beginning with one in each division of the State, similar instructions have also been issued to both the Directors to take up the matter with Vice Chairman, Jammu Development Authority and Vice Chairman, Srinagar Development Authority for identification of land respectively at Jammu and Srinagar for old age homes. After identifying the land they have to get the DPRs prepared through Public Works Department and submit the same to the administrative department for according approval.
It was stated that grant in favour of old age homes at Kathua and Udhampur has been released for an amount of Rs 10 lakh by placing the amount at the disposal of the Director, Social Welfare, Jammu exclusively and directions have also been issued for wide publicity of all the schemes of Social Welfare Department floated either by the State or by the Central Government, so that awareness was created among the masses and benefit of the scheme availed by the needy people.
Senior Advocate Sunil Sethi pointed out that directions were required to be issued to the respondents for furnishing details in respect of beneficiaries of the schemes, total funds allocated to the scheme and the total fund utilized under each schemes. Highlighting the fate of Bal Ashram and Nari Niketans, it was pointed out that they were virtually dependent on alms being paid by the residents of the area and they hardly get their meals. In respect of proper utilization of grant-in-aid released to NGOs no mechanism was in place to ensure that the benefit of grants reaches to those, who deserve it.
Upon this, Division Bench directed the Secretary, Social Welfare Department to furnish the details of allocation of funds, utilization of funds, number of beneficiaries under the various schemes and mechanism to ensure that the funds are utilized for those for whom allocation has been made.
“It is evident that no steps have been taken to identify the land for establishing composite homes and old age homes in either of the provinces of Jammu and Kashmir. The Government land which is retrieved from the encroachers may also be considered for establishing composite homes and old age homes instead of putting it back in the hands of encroachers. The matter is required to be attended with great urgency”, the DB said and directed that immediate steps be taken to do the needful.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel