Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 2: The Committee on Estimates of Legislative Assembly today expressed dissatisfaction over the functioning of Social Welfare Department.
The Committee headed by Ashraf Mir took serious note of the slow disposal of the cases under various welfare schemes being carried out by the department including widow, old age, handicapped, marriage assistance scheme etc.
Legislators, Mubarak Gul, Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen, Altaf Ahmed Wani, Abdul Majeed Padder, R S Pathania, Yawar Ahmed Mir, Dr Shehnaz Ganai and Javid Ahmed Mirchal attended the meeting.
The Committee discussed the overall functioning of the Social Welfare Department including various schemes being executed by the department including National Social Assistance Programme, (NSAP), Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS), State Marriage Assistance Scheme, AASRA, Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), Multi-Sectoral Development Programme (MSDP), Ladli Beti, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Scholarship Schemes, State Rehabilitation Council for Militancy Victims, Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS), J&K SC,ST,BC Development Corporation, Women Development Corporation, Management of Boys and Girls Pahari hostels, Balashram and Nari Niketan etc.
The Committee directed the concerned authorities to take the matter with the Finance Department to clear pending liabilities with respect to providing widow pension as per the rate of Rs 1000 as per Government order issued last year.
The Committee recommended that all handicapped, widow and old age pension cases which are lying pending in the department should be cleared on priority basis so that the needy people of the State could get benefitted from the schemes launched by the State and Central Governments for the welfare of the deserving people of the State.
The Committee directed the concerned authorities to increase intake capacity of the Pahari Hostels functioning in the State besides taking steps to improve the infrastructure of these hostels.
During the meeting, the members gave their suggestions with regard to the implementation of different schemes of the department including Anganwari centres, district and social welfare offices, rehabilitation councils, providing of pending honorarium to Anganwari workers and helpers etc.
Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Sajad Ahmed Khan briefed the Committee about the working of the department and assured the Committee that the department will strict action on the observations and recommendation given by the Committee.
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