Minister of State for Social welfare, Asiea Naqash today directed the department to conduct fresh survey for State Marriage Assistance Scheme (SMAS) to enable maximum number of poor girls to get financial assistance under the scheme.The Minister issued the directions while chairing a review meeting convened here to review the implementation of state and centrally sponsored schemes of social welfare department.The Minister said the fresh survey would help to include more and more poor girls under SMAS. She expressed the hope that the survey would be completed by the end of March.She said that in last 2 years the government has provided Rs 35.86 crore to 9148 poor unmarried girls under the scheme.She said under SMAS one-time financial assistance of Rs 25,000 and five-gram gold are given to the girls living below poverty line who may not find themselves in a position to marry due to financial constraints.She said that state government is committed to provide financial assistance to weaker sections of the society to help them to make two ends meet.
Meanwhile, the secretary social welfare gave an overview of various welfare schemes and scholarship programmes being implemented by the department.It was informed that under Centrally Sponsored, National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) old age, widows, disabled persons and BPL Families are providing monthly pension. The economic assistance under NSAP is being provided to around 150448 beneficiaries, while around 42250 are benefitted under the Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS) which is a State Sponsored Scheme.The Minister also sought details regarding outreach of post and pre-matric scholarship schemes and the scholarship being offered by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs to the students belonging to Minority Communities.While reviewing the skill development and entrepreneurship initiatives of the department, the Minister stressed on encouraging utilization of the products manufactured by women under various schemes like those being offered by Women’s Development Corporation, to enhance women empowerment.The Meeting was also attended by secretary social welfare department Sajad Ahmad Khan, Director Social welfare Jammu Veerji Hangloo, Director Finance A M Bhat and district social welfare officers of the state.