Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 18: The Social Welfare Department has expended Rs. 65.06 crore under different pension and scholarship schemes besides loan schemes and financial assistance to militancy victims upto September this year.
This was informed by Minister for Social Welfare, ARI & Trainings, Sakina Itoo, at a review meeting of Social Welfare Department held here today.
The Minister had a detailed discussion on achievements of various wings of the department besides deliberating on multi-pronged strategies to further streamline the services of the department.
Giving breakup of the expenditure, Secretary, Social Welfare Department, M.S.Rathur, informed that Rs. 26.85 crore have been incurred under IGNOAPS, IGNWPS, IGNDPS and ISSS while Rs. 10.01 crore have been expended under pre and post matric scholarships to SC, OBC, physically handicapped, minority community and Pahari students. Besides, Rs. 12.91 crore has been distributed among 11650 students under post-matric scholarships to ST students, he added.
Reviewing construction of ST hostels, the Minister was apprised that four such hostels are being raised in Degree College Kargil, Degree College Handwara (Kupwara), Mahore (Reasi) and Basantgar while one hostel for Gaddi and Sippi students is being constructed at Udhampur.
Addressing the officers, the Minister exhorted upon them to be pro-active towards people’s needs and grievances ensuring them an enhanced and transparent deliverance of services. She asked them to make sure that all the offices of the department especially in hilly and far off parts of the state are equipped with adequate staff and infrastructure.
Sakina also emphasized the officers to conduct frequent field inspections which are pre-requisite for effective implementation of departmental programmes.
Among others present were Director Tribal Affairs, Ali Raza, SW, Jammu, M.H.Bhatti, MD WDC, Nahid Soz, Executive Director Rehabilitation Council, Hafiza Muzaffar, Secretaries of Advisory Boards and other senior officers.
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