As part of measures to mitigate sufferings of economically weaker and downtrodden sections of the society during Corona Virus (COVID-19) lockdown, Social Welfare department has been working round the clock to ensure that basic necessities, essential commodities and other help is available to the poor and destitute living in the Union Territory.This was stated by Director General, Social Welfare Jammu, Rehana Batul while elaborating on the measures taken by the department during COVID-19 lockdown.She said that a large number of pensioners are dependent on the government for sustenance and these include old age, widows and physically disabled pensioners. She said that as part of instant relief, administration has provided two months advance payment to the 3,16,451 existing beneficiaries in Jammu Division.Besides, new pensions in favour of about 90,000 cases in the division have been approved by the government for which verifications have been almost completed; pensions in all verified cases will be disbursed within 4-5 days, she added.Regarding Scholarships, DG informed that the department has ensured disbursement of scholarships up to 31st March 2020 to over one lakh students despite the lockdown to ensure the benefit to weaker sections.
These scholarships are being provided to SC, OBC, economically-backward students under various centrally and UT sponsored schemes.The DG also said the department is undertaking regular weekly inspections of Bal Ashrams, Nari Niketans, Residential Schools for Visually Impaired, Halfway Homes and other residential institutions, both government-run and those managed by Non-Governmental Organisations to ensure that these places are complying with guidelines to combat Covid-19.She further said the department is providing masks, sanitisers and other protection equipment to these institutions besides ensuring adequate and good quality ration to these homes, so that inmates don’t suffer during the prevailing situation.The DG further added that besides SW department, allied wings like Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), others are also working on war footing to alleviate the sufferings of distressed and destitute during COVID-19 lock down.