In a comprehensive review meeting held at the Collectorate Auditorium, District Magistrate cum Deputy Commissioner Ananya Mittal evaluated the progress of ITDA and welfare departmental schemes. The meeting, attended by PD IDTA Dipankar Chaudhary, District Welfare Officer Rajendra Gupta, and other key officials, focused on the latest developments in various social welfare programs.
Mittal emphasized the urgent need to address delays in the disbursement of pre-matric and post-matric scholarships. Of the 123,293 students eligible for pre-matric scholarships in the 2020-21 and 2022-23 financial years, approximately 2,400 students have yet to receive their funds due to bank account errors. Similarly, 811 out of 25,546 students in classes 9 and 10 have not received their scholarships. The District Education Officer was instructed to collaborate with local bank managers, block education extension officers, and school principals to rectify these issues within seven days.
For the 2023-24 financial year, 131,910 out of 140,504 targeted students have received their pre-matric scholarships. The remaining students must receive their payments by July 15, while post-matric scholarship payments for 2,799 students are to be completed by July 30.
The state government’s bicycle distribution initiative, aimed at aiding school children with their commute, has reached only 904 students out of a target of 17,214. Mittal called for an increase in the number of cycle fitters across all blocks and mandated the distribution of bicycles in camp mode, with public representatives present, to expedite the process.
The Birsa Housing Scheme has seen the completion of 171 out of 193 approved constructions. Mittal urged officials to expedite the remaining 22 projects, emphasizing the need for personal commitment to ensure beneficiaries move into their new homes promptly.
In terms of forest lease distribution, 602 hectares of land have been allocated to beneficiaries from January 2020 to June 2024. The District Magistrate encouraged extending benefits to as many community forest lease applicants as possible to support communal upliftment.
Instructions were issued to the Executive Engineer of Special Division and NREP to finalize pending conservation and development projects for cemeteries, Jahersthan, Sarna, Masna, and Hadgadi sites. Zonal officers were also directed to allocate 2 acres of land for constructing 50-bed multipurpose hostels.
In the Chief Minister Pashudhan Vikas Yojana, delays in distributing poultry and livestock were attributed to the non-deposit of beneficiary contributions. Officials were directed to open ESCROW accounts for applicants and facilitate account openings in camp mode where beneficiaries are concentrated.
Under the Mukhyamantri Rojgar Srijan program, applications for the second installment of funds have been submitted to blocks for 290 applicants. However, 239 applications remain pending. Block welfare officers were tasked with swiftly verifying and forwarding these applications to expedite fund disbursement.
The meeting saw attendance from key personnel, including the District Education Officer, Executive Engineer of NREP and Special Division, Assistant Engineers, and all Block Welfare and Education Extension Officers. Mittal underscored the importance of timely completion and accountability, instructing that contractors displaying laxity be blacklisted to ensure efficient progress in all ongoing schemes.
