Minister for Social Welfare, Forests, Ecology & Environment, Mr Bali Baghat has asked the people to avail benefits of the welfare schemes like “Ladli Beti” and “Aasra” launched by the present Government. Speaking at a function organized by the Social Welfare Department to formally launch the “Ladli Beti” scheme, the Minister said that the scheme is aimed at providing financial assistance and social security to the girl child in the State. He said the scheme will go a long way in curbing the heinous crime of female feticide in the society.Reiterating the commitment of the present coalition government headed by Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to work towards the empowerment of the women and underprivileged sections of the society, Mr Bhagat said “Ladli Beti” is a path-breaking welfare scheme and the deserving people must take full advantage of the same.
Elaborating, the Minister said that the Ladli Beti scheme is a social assistance scheme meant for new born girl child and is aimed at reversing the alarming trend of declining child sex ratio.He said the scheme will address the concerns of girl child right from the birth to adulthood and provide financial security to them enabling to create a strong positive disposition towards the girl child.Under the scheme government will contribute Rs 1000 per month towards the birth of every child born after April 1, 2015 for the next 14 years and a sum of Rs 6.50 lakh on maturity i.e on attaining the age of 21 years. Initially the scheme is being launched in six selected districts including Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Pulwama, Budgam and Anantnag on pilot basis.
Mr. Bali Bhagat also said that under the newly launched social security scheme Aasra, the state government would reimburse premium for the two insurance schemes i.e Prime Minister Suraksha Bima Yojna and Prime Ministers Jeevan Bhima Yojna and families having annual income less than Rs 75000 will be covered under both the schemes.Stressing for proper implementation of both the schemes, the Minister exhorted upon the field functionaries of the Social Welfare Department to work vigorously so that the benefits of these schemes reach the deserving beneficiaries.Highlighting some of the future projects of the social welfare department Mr. Bhagat said that construction of Spinal Injury Hospital both at Jammu and Srinagar is under process. He also said that soon a staff centre and women helpline will be started in the state for providing guidance and counseling to the women in distress.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Ms Asiea Naqash while addressing the gathering said that alarming trend of declining child sex ratio is a matter of great concern and such schemes will definitely help in improving the same besides the scheme Ladli Beti will go a long way in transforming the status of women in the society.Minister of State for Information, Culture and Education, Mrs. Priya Sethi said that the scheme Ladli Beti is a gift to our daughters. She also said that government has launched various schemes for the welfare and uplift of women and underprivileged sections of the society. Member Parliament Jugal Kishore Sharma also spoke on the occasion.
Vice Chairman Scheduled castes Advisory Board, Mr Bhushan Lal Dogra, MLA Chammb, Dr Krishan Lal, MLC Surinder Choudhary, Secretary Social Welfare Department, Sanjeev Verma, DDC Jammu Simrandeep Singh, senior officers of Social Welfare department were also present on the occasion.Earlier the diginataries distributed authority letters and pass books to the beneficiaries of the Ladli Beti and Aasra Schemes.Niharika of Kot Bhalwal and Pinki Dogra of Janipur became first beneficiaries of Ladly Beti and Aasra schemes respectively.