Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 19: While 5,78,530 persons were getting old age, widow and handicapped pension from the Social Welfare Department nearly 1.50 lakh fresh pension cases were pending with the department for the last about three years for consideration.
The issue of pension and scholarships was raised in the Legislative Council by the Congress Members, Sham Lal Bhagat and Ravinder Kumar Sharma today. The other members of the House also expressed serious concern over the huge pendency of cases lying with the department and sought early disposal. Ravinder Sharma expressed his surprise over non-provision of scholarships to the SC students in all the tehsils of district Rajouri in last two years under SCSP.
Minister Incharge Social Welfare Sakina Itoo while replying claimed that although Social Welfare Department has not conducted any population survey as on date, yet the total number of registered beneficiaries under pension scheme are in the State is 5.78 lakh.
Replying to another question of Sham Lal and subsequent supplementaries of other members including Sayed Rafiq Shah, B R Kundal, Javed Rana and Dr Bashir Ahmed, Ms Sakina disclosed that nearly 1,50,000 pending cases were lying with the Social Welfare Department. She said that matter has been taken up with the Central Government. The funds are mostly provided by the Central Government. In some schemes like IGNOPS it is on fifty: fifty basis. She said it is continuing process. Many beneficiaries die and new are accommodated. In last two years, over 26,000 cases have been covered.
While responding to another question of Ravinder Sharma, Ms Itoo said 15191 Scheduled Caste students have been provided pre-matric and 224 students post-matric scholarships during last four years. She said as per Census 2001, the total SC population in Rajouri was 38,526. She said no funds have been received from the Centre during 2011-12 under SCA/SCSP and therefore could not be provided to the SC students in the area. However, during this financial year, an amount of Rs 18.90 lakh has been released.
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