Principal Secretary Finance, Navin K Choudhary today called upon the Departments of Social Welfare and Tribal Affairs to implement all welfare schemes in letter and spirit to ensure their benefits to the targeted population at the grass root level.He said the Department of Social Welfare is mandated to uplift the living conditions of poorest of the poor and destitute, and it is mandatory on the part of each functionary from top to bottom to work hard and provide immediate succour to the needy, especially those of physically challenged and widows, who are solely depending on the government help for their endurance.Speaking at the pre-budget meeting of these Departments, the Principal Secretary laid stress on further strengthening the facilities in the government aided centres for the old age people, physically challenged, destitute and juveniles across the State for which Government provides adequate funding. He called upon the senior functionaries to pay frequent visits to these homes, inspect facilities to ensure better deal to the deprived lot so that they can also lead a dignified life in the society.Secretary Social Welfare, Dr. Farooq Ahmed Lone, Secretary Tribal Affairs, Abdul Majid Bhat, HoDs and other senior functionaries of allied departments of Social Welfare and Tribal Affairs, besides a team of officers from Finance Department comprising, Director Budget, Imtyaz Ahmed Wani, Directors Expenditures, Shabir Ahmed Khan, Parvez Ahmed Kakroo, Joint Director Budget, Raman Kumar Gupta and others attended the meetings.
While discussing the status of pensions being paid by the Social Welfare Department to various categories of people under different programmes, the Principal Secretary stressed the need for evolving complete transparency in the mechanism to ensure that money goes to the needy and deserving. He issued instructions for revisiting all the existing lists of beneficiaries availing such benefits, further streamlining the mechanism of disbursement and linking them with the Adhaars and bank accounts to ensure that the money goes in their bank accounts directly. He urged the Secretary Social Welfare to personally see this entire exercise of screening the lists and submitting the exact figure for which the Government will provide funds.Secretary Social Welfare projected the action plan for further strengthening the assets and fast-tracking implementation of various welfare schemes during the next financial.On the status of various on-going schemes and assets of Tribal Affairs, the Principal Secretary asked for proper upkeep of the hostels of Gujjars, Bakerwals and other such tribal communities and improving all other conditions for the inmates. He also agreed to some of the new proposals of the department regarding upgradation of the hostels and other initiatives for the welfare of the tribal communities during the next financial year.