State Social Welfare Department has a large number of cases pending with it for want of disposal. Authorities say that the pendency is owing to non-availability of funds. 1.50 lakh cases are pending and one can imagine whether these will be disposed off or not at all. The cases pertain to support to the old, below poverty line persons, handicapped, widows and destitute persons. They are socially weaker sections and deserve to be provided sustenance. Assisting these weaker sections is a humanitarian work and we appreciate that the Social Welfare Department has been doing some work of merit. But the statistics provided by reliable sources indicate that thousands of uncleared cases are lying with the department for last three to four years. This is not a healthy sign. If the purpose of the department is to provide support, it should come in good time and the beneficiaries should not be asked to wait indefinitely. They are generally old and infirm people who cannot wait a long time. According to an estimate, Rs 60 crore is needed to clear nearly 1.50 lakh cases pending in the State Social Welfare Department. While we appreciate some good deal of work done by the Social Welfare Department, we will have to say that much remains to be done. Keeping cases pending for too long a time of four years makes the entire scheme a farce. This wrong impression needs to be removed as early as possible.
India is a welfare state. It means that all people are provided opportunity of living a good and decent life. Handicapped, old, infirm and widows are among the hard hit people. How far they are provided succour determines the level of social awareness among the governing authority of a given State. It is this consciousness that has led to the creation of a department of social welfare. But the functioning of the department, procurement of funds and disbursement of payments, verification of applicants and new entrants in different types of schemes all has to be done efficiently and within a time frame. It has little sense to keep cases pending for years at end. We hope that funding issue for the Social Welfare Department will be speedily pursued and funds got released for proper utilization. Denial of pension to 17098 handicapped persons in the State is not a happy situation. This is true in other cases also.
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