The Committee on Estimates of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today expressed dissatisfaction over the functioning of Social Welfare Department and took serious note on the slow disposal of the cases under various welfare schemes.Legislator Ashraf Mir make these observations while chairing Estimates committee meeting to review the functioning of the Department.The Committee took serious note on the slow disposal of the cases under various welfare schemes being carried out by the department including widow, old age, handicapped, marriage assistance scheme and other many more schemes of the different agencies of the department resulting.He directed the concerned authorities to take necessary steps for strengthening of Juvenile Home in the state and facilities should be provided to it as per the guidelines and also called for strengthening the Juvenile Justice Board in the state.Legislators, Mubarak Gul, Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen, Altaf Ahmed Wani, Abdul Majeed Padder, R S Pathania, Yawar Ahmed Mir, Dr Shehnaz Ganai and Javid Ahmed Mirchal attended the meeting.
The Committee also discussed the overall functioning of the Social Welfare Department including various schemes being executed by the department including National Social Assistance Programme, (NSAP), Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS), State Marriage Assistance Scheme, AASRA, Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), Multi-Sectoral Development Programme (MsDP), Ladli Beti, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Scholarship Schemes, State Rehabilitation Council for Militancy Victims, Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS), J&K SC,ST,BC Development Corporation, Women Development Corporation, Management of Boys and Girls Pahari hostels, Balashram and Nari Niketan etc.The Committee directed the concerned authorities to take the matter with the Finance Department to clear pending liabilities with respect to providing widow pension as per the rate of Rs 1000 as per government order issued last year.The Committee recommended that all handicapped, widow and old age pension cases which are lying pending in the department should be cleared on priority basis so that the needy people of the state could get benefitted from the schemes launched by the state and central government for the welfare of the deserving people of the state.The Committee directed the concerned authorities to increase intake capacity of the Pahari Hostels functioning in the state besides taking steps improve the infrastructure of these hostels.
The Committee directed that the concerned authorities to take necessary steps to create awareness among the people of the state about various state and central sponsored welfare schemes carried out by the department so that deserving citizens can avail the benefit of these schemes.During the meeting, the members gave their suggestions with regard to the implementation of different schemes of the department including Anganwari centres, district and social welfare offices, rehabilitation councils, providing of pending honorarium to Anganwari workers and helpers etc. Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Sajad Ahmed Khan briefed the Committee about the working of the department and assured the Committee that the department will strict action on the observations and recommendation given by the Committee and the department will involve the local representatives while framing any activities of the department.Earlier, the Committee condoled the demise of mother in law of Deputy Speaker, Nazir Ahmed Gurezi.Among others, Mission Director ICDS GA Sofi, MD SC/ST/ OBC Development Corporation, Director Finance SWD, Director Social Welfare Kashmir, Jammu, Secretary OBC Board, Secretary PSP Board besides senior officers of Social Welfare and Assembly secretariat were also present on the occasion.