Minister for Social Welfare, ARI and Trainings, Science and Technology, Mr Sajad Gani Lone today said that Government will bring in more transparency and accountability in the functioning of Social Welfare Department enabling the poor beneficiaries to avail the benefits of various welfare schemes.Winding up the discussion on Demand of Grants for Social Welfare, S&T ARI and Trainings Department in the House Assembly, the Minister said that it is the endeavour of the present Government to uplift the poor, and help destitute and physically challenged people in the state. The Government will provide adequate financial assistance to them for their dignified sustenance in the society, the Minister asserted. The Minister announced enhancement of Rs 500/- in the honorarium of Anganwari Workers and Helpers with immediate effect.
Referring to the initiatives proposed, the Minister said that under NSAP, 151163 deserving persons, widows and old age persons would be provided pension during the current financial year. He said that 422500 old age, widows and handicapped persons would get pension under ISS Scheme in the state. He said the Department has a target to provide scholarships to 594371 students of different categories during current fiscal.The Minister said that 720 poor adult girls would be provided marriage assistance under SMA scheme besides 63645 poor persons would be covered under Aasra scheme during current fiscal. He said 52630 deserving needy girls would be brought under Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for empowerment, 5223 would be covered under Indira Gandhi Matritiva Sahyog Yojana besides 2750 girls would be covered under Ladli Beti Scheme during current financial year.
The Minister said that State Rehabilitation Council would provide financial assistance to 8851 persons during current fiscal. He said 1066 beneficiaries would be covered by National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation, National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation, National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation and Women Entrepreneurship Programme during current financial year.Later, the House passed the grants of Social Welfare, ARI & Trainings , S&T Department for the year 2016-17, which were moved by the Minister, amounting to Rs 1507.85 crore with voice vote.Abdul Majid Padder, Jewan Lal, Mian Altaf Ahmad, G. M. Saroori, M. Y. Tarigami, Anjum Fazli, Davinder Kumar Manyal, Hakeem Mohammad Yasin, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Vikar Rasool Wani, Pawan Kumar Gupta, Bashir Ahmad Dar, Shakti Raj Parihar and Asgar Ali Karbalaie.