Omar reviews development of Ganderbal

Excelsior Correspondent
GANDERBAL, June 14: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah reviewed the schemes of Social Welfare and Fisheries Departments under execution in Ganderbal Constituency at a meeting here today.
Receiving the status of various programmes, the Chief Minister was apprised that 15 schemes are presently being implemented in the constituency by the Social Welfare Department to reach out poor, destitute, needy, old aged, widows, orphan, downtrodden and students of weaker and poorer sections of the society.
It was stated that 2246 beneficiaries are receiving old age pension under Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme each receiving a remuneration of Rs 400 per month. An amount of Rs 107.80 lakh has been spent under the scheme during the last year. Under Indira Gandhi National Pension Scheme 86 widows and 114 disable persons are getting pension at the rate of Rs 400 per month. As many as 35 poor families have received one-time assistance of Rs 10000 under National Family Benefit Scheme and 2617 women in distress were provided pension worth Rs 62.80 lakh during the last year.
The Chief Minister was informed that under Integrated Social Security Scheme for old age people an amount of Rs 91.15 lakh has been distributed among 3798 beneficiaries during the last year while 2251 physically challenged persons received Rs 108 lakh and 448 beneficiaries were benefited under Contributory Social Security Scheme.
It was stated that 1251 persons were covered under Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana and 1890 students received pre-matric scholarships worth Rs 21.6 lakh and 316 students received post-matric scholarships to the tune of Rs. 13.62 lakh under various schemes.
The physically challenged and OBC category students numbering 1841 were provided Rs 16.53 lakh as pre-matric scholarships and 23 students of OBC and Pahari speaking community received Rs 1.99 lakh post-matric scholarships. Seven persons were given hearing aids, 3 tricycles, 4 wheel chairs while 11 militancy affected children received Rs 1.42 lakh scholarships last year and 157 widows and orphans were given Rs 11.18 lakh financial support.
The Chief Minister also reviewed the financial and physical status of the schemes being implemented by Fisheries Department in Ganderbal. He was informed that upgradation of spring at Fish Farm and construction of Race Way has been completed at Pandach at a cost of Rs 7.69 lakh while 15 Low Cost Houses have been constructed by the beneficiaries who received Rs 25000 each for this purpose.
The Chief Minister directed the officers to ensure that the benefits of schemes aimed at ameliorating the lot of poorer and downtrodden sections of the society reach to them smoothly. He inspected various development works under execution in the constituency in Fisheries and Social Welfare sectors. Omar Abdullah visited various Anganwari Centres, took stock of their functioning and interacted with the children, tasted the food prepared in these centres. He also ascertained the health and welfare of the children enrolled in these Aganwari Centres.