The Scheduled Castes & Backward Classes Welfare Minister, Punjab, S. Sadhu Singh Dharamsot has instructed the Welfare Department to verify all the welfare schemes within a span of 15 days so as to correct the discrepancies in the same ensuring benefits to the genuine persons. During the course of a review meeting of the Welfare Department, the minister said that the purpose of running SC/BC welfare schemes would be served only when the benefits would reach real beneficiaries. He further said that the economically weaker sections can transform their lives for the better with the assistance of these schemes.The Minister gave instructions for submission of a comprehensive report regarding hostels constructed so far under ‘Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatravas Yojna’ and elaborated that a proposal about constructing girls hostels in 6 districts (Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala, Bathinda, Ludhiana and Mohali) with capacity of 100 each is to be sent to Union Government to provide residential facility to the girls during their studies.
He also instructed that applications concerning shagan & inter caste marriage scheme are to be received through sewa kendars so as to adopt transparent procedure to give benefits under the schemes. The Minister also said that the scholarship forms of students hailing from private institutions should be verified by Tehsil Welfare Officer or District Welfare Officer before sending the same to the Union Government in order to stop the misuse of the schemes. Instructing the officers of Welfare Department to discharge their duties with dedication, the Minister also said that all the welfare schemes besides those being run by the Punjab Scheduled Castes Finance Corporation (PSCFC) and BACKFINCO must be publicized extensively through print and electronic media.On the occasion, Principal Secretary, Welfare, Mr. R. Venkatratnam, Executive Director PSCFC and BACKFINCO Mr. G.K. Singh, Director, Welfare Department Mr. Malwinder Singh Jaggi, Director SC sub-plan Mr. Raj Bahadur and other all Additional Directors and Deputy Directors of the welfare department were also present.