Minister for Social Welfare and ARI & Trainings Sajad Gani Lone today said that as part of the efforts to establish a comprehensive and responsive social welfare program in the state, various proposals have been formulated for amelioration of underprivileged and downtrodden, backward and vulnerable sections of the society.The Minister was replying on Demand for Grants of the departments under his charge in the Legislative Assembly, today.“Several proposals have been formulated to ensure social inclusion, empowerment of marginalized sections by way of stimulating the potential of these people,” he said adding that adequate measures are in place besides being constantly upgraded to ensure that benefits of welfare schemes reach genuine beneficiaries.Elaborating on various schemes under the ambit of the department, the Minister informed the house that under the pension schemes NSAP and ISSS, Rs 113.79 crore has been disbursed among 5.73 Lakh beneficiaries of the State, during current fiscal up to ending December, 2017.Sajad said that education is paramount for development of any society and therefore several schemes are under implementation in the State to promote education among the students of weaker sections like SCs, OBCs & Physically Challenged Persons, DNTs and EBCs. He said that under these schemes scholarships amounting Rs 26 crore has been provided to 1.91 lakh students during current fiscal.The Minister informed that Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) is being systematically implemented in the state through its 28926 Anganwari Centres currently functional in the State.
He informed about 10 lakh beneficiaries, comprising children from 6 months to 6 years of age, pregnant & lactating mothers and adolescent girls are being provided supplementary nutrition. Further, these Anganwadis are being repositioned as health and nutrition centres, semi-formal hospitals and centres of early childhood learning, he added.He elaborated that during 2017-18 up to ending December, 7.62 lakh beneficiaries were covered under ICDS with funds amounting Rs 213 crore.Under Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), the Minister said that registration of beneficiaries under the scheme has been started w.e.f 20th January, 2018. Detailing the progress under implementation of the scheme, the Minister said that data compilation has been completed for 14 districts while the master data for 9 districts has been reported to MWC&D.Under Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (SABLA), the Minister said that five districts of the state Anantnag, Kupwara, Leh, Jammu and Kathua have been brought under SABLA on pilot basis for Empowerment of adolescent girls to improve their health & nutrition status, upgrade their skills & enhance their educational status through formal and non-formal education. He said under the scheme SABLA, Rs 77.66 lakh have been utilized during 2017-18 up to ending December.Under State Marriage Assistance Scheme (SMAS), the Minister said 5000 unmarried girls were provided financial assistance amounting Rs 20 lakh during 2017-18.Further, he informed that State Rehabilitation Council for Militancy Victims is providing assistance to the affected victims under its various schemes, besides, this it has also undertaken various projects including Providing of Motorized Tricycles to the Handicapped People and ‘Watan Ko Jano’ Youth Exchange Programme.
“Under these schemes of State Rehabilitation Council, 7243 beneficiaries were covered and an amount of Rs 4.80 crore was utilized during 2017-18 up to ending December 2017”, he added.Elaborating on activities of the Women’s Development Corporation, the Minister said that WDC is working consistently for upliftment of Socio-economic condition of women with a special focus on BPL families and for qualified women entrepreneurs by way of forming self help groups, finance for income generating activities and providing skill upgradation training, awareness camps. Rs 10.73 crore were utilized under Bank Tie-up & Direct Financing Schemes of WDC during 2017-18, upto ending December 2017, he added.The Minister informed that a state sponsored scheme is in place under which Prosthetic Aids viz; artificial limbs, hearing aids, wheelchairs, were provided to 71 beneficiaries amounting to Rs 30.91 lakh during current fiscal up to ending December 2017.Later, the House passed the grants of Social Welfare, ARI & Trainings Departments for the year 2018-19 amounting Rs 185346.57 lakh.Several members participated in the discussion on the Demand for Grants including Javid Hassan Beigh, Mian Altaf Ahmad, Pawan Gupta, Deena Nath Bhagat, G M Saroori, Abdul Rahim Rather, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Rajesh Gupta, Aijaz Ahmad Khan, Bashir Ahmad Dar, Chowdhary Qamar Hussain, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Krishen Lal, Vikar Rasool, Shah Mohammad Tantray, Abdul Majid Larmi, Davinder Kumar Maniyal, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, Mohammad Amin, Syed Farooq Andrabi and Mubarak Gul.