Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 17: The State High Court today sought compliance from the Government regarding providing of financial assistance to the poor and destitute girls already identified by the Social Welfare Department.
Court directed the Social Welfare Department to ensure the identified girls are informed by DSWOs about the launching of schemes known as ‘State Marriage Assistance Scheme (SMAS) and Scheme ‘HUNNAR’. “They (girls) shall be asked to come forward to take benefit of the schemes. Compliance report be filed about this aspect of the matter also before next date”, directed the Division Bench of Justice MH Attar and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey.
Advocate General assured the court that these benefits accruing from ‘SMAS’ and ‘HUNNAR’ schemes having been launched in terms of court directions will be provided to the beneficiary girls and compliance in this behalf will be filed before next date.
Commissioner/Secretary Social Welfare Department was present in the court as per the court directions and assured the court that two schemes will be implemented in letter and schemes.
Court has been earlier been informed by three District Social Welfare Officers (DSWOs) who were present before the court as per the previous court directions that there are 7000 poor girls in District Srinagar, 7500 poor girls in District Ganderbal and 53 poor and destitute girls in District Budgam.
After this information court asked these officers whether have you informed these identified poor girls about the schemes namely ‘State Marriage Assistance Scheme’ and ‘HUNNAR’ and how many have been provided benefits of these Schemes, however, these officers could not give any satisfactory reply to the court query and the counsel representing State Government advocate N A Beigh (Sr. AAG) assured the court that these schemes will be implemented in letter and spirit.
As the court had directed personal appearance of all DSWOs but only three DSWOs representing Srinagar, Ganderbal and Budgam districts were present in the court and had observed to them to inform ‘yourself’ to these poor girls otherwise how these girls come to know about these schemes.
Court has already made it clear that while providing financial assistance to these poor girls, the officers shall not insist from them for production of invitation card instead they (officials) can ask from these girls for an affidavit duly sworn before any Judicial Magistrate.
After identifying the poor girls by the Social Welfare Department under the directions of court which according to the department are in lakhs, these girls are supposed to be provided with an amount of Rs. 25000/- each and 5 gms of gold for living a dignified life by the department of SWD.
Court regarding other issues like amendment in corruption laws has been assured by the Senior AAG that appropriate steps in this behalf will be taken. “Learned counsel submitted that whatever development in this behalf take place will be brought to the notice of the court before next date”, reads the order.
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