District administration Ramban has taken several concrete steps to ensure financial security to the public during the lockdown. They included labourers, farmers, aged, widows besides physically challenged, pensioners and all those vulnerable sections of the society facing financial crunch due to lockdown imposed to curb spread of Covid 19. Administration has disbursed Rs. 22.14 crore among 65417 beneficiaries including 14.88 crore by RDD, 4.09 crore by Agriculture while 1.88 crore by Social welfare and 1.37 crore by Labour department through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.The Government is laying adequate emphasis on livelihood schemes launched by the Agriculture, Social Welfare Department (SWD), Labour and ICDS apart from flagship scheme MG-NREGA of Rural Development Department (RDD) in supplementing rural economy through employment generation.Rural Development Department (RDD) in the district has remained on the forefront in containment of the Coronavirus outbreak and has undertaken various initiatives in co-ordination with the members of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and District administration. The Department has disbursed Rs. 14.80 Crore among the MG-NREGA job card holders and other workers who had worked under different schemes like 14FC, PMAY and SBM across the district. More than 10.45 crore has been transferred in the account of 18600 job card holder against their liabilities under the MG-NREGA works. Meantime Rs. 2 crore has been disbursed among the 270 families under PMAY whereas Rs. 1.24 crore under 14FC has been transferred in the account of 142 PRIs and Rs 80 Lakh has provided to 283 beneficiaries of SBM across the district.Besides, RDD also initiated 151 new development works of different nature under MG-NREGA and other schemes that would generate 10300 man days by providing job opportunities to job card holders at their door steps in the prevailing situation.
In order to give immediate relief to farmers affected by the nationwide lockdown, the government had promised during the beginning of lockdown in March to transfer the first installment of Rs 2000 to each beneficiary under PM KISAN Scheme. Chief Agriculture Officer informed that department has disbursed the first installment of current year of Rs 4.09 crore to 20454 farmers under the scheme, since March 24, the day lockdown was announced.Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna (PMKSNY), the government transfers an amount of Rs. 6,000 per year, in three equal installments, directly into the bank accounts of farmers subject to certain exclusion criteria relating to higher income status.To provide a relief to socially, physically and financially weaker sections of society Social Welfare Department, Ramban has distributed more than Rs 1.88 crore among the beneficiaries of different pension schemes including Rs 156 crore under Integrated Social Security Schemes (ISSS) and Rs 31.62 lakhs under National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP). During the COVID-19 lockdown total 15698 beneficiaries including 7950 old aged, 2979 widows and 4769 Physically Challenged persons have been provided financial assistance of Rs 1000 to each beneficiary under ISSS. Similarly 3162 beneficiaries under NSAP including 2733 old aged, 253 widows and 176 disabled persons have been provided assistance of Rs 1000 to each beneficiary under NSAP.To facilitate stranded labourers in the district Labour Department has released an amount to Rs 1.37crore in favour of construction workers directly into their bank accounts. These workers included those who had worked as construction workers with different construction agencies as well as those employed in unorganized sectors.Deliberating on the measures taken by district administration to augment health infrastructure, Deputy Commissioner Ramban Nazim Zai Khan said that the existing district health infrastructure has been upgraded besides creating 2326 bedded facility in 64 quarantine centres and establishing COVID wellness centers across the district. He informed that health personnel have been provide with all the latest equipments besides masks, sanitizers, medicines and PPE kits.To maintain social distancing administration has also launched IEC awareness campaign and e-pass facility for public to facilitate them to move in emergency situation. Virtual classes from 9th to 12th class have also been started besides providing study material through video and PDF with the help of local cable networks as well as YouTube channel like “Tele-Classes Info Ramban” and KDV Network Banihal.