Punjab government on Wednesday announced that the girls of any caste belonging to Economic Weaker Section (EWS) category can also claim grant under the Shagun scheme.
“Earlier, the benefit of Shagun Scheme was confined only to the families of Schedule Caste or Backward Class, Christian, widows or divorcee (on being remarried). But now, irrespective of the caste, the Punjab Government is providing benefits of this scheme to all girls of weaker sections,” said the state Welfare Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike.
Ranike said that under Shagun Scheme, any girl attaining the age of 18 years, having family income not more than Rs 32,790, is eligible for the Shagun grant. “It is made mandatory that the guardians of beneficiary have to be a permanent resident of Punjab. Financial aid of Rs 15,000 is being given to the beneficiary under Shagun Scheme,” he said.
Sharing data, he said that the state government has disbursed Rs 739.33 crore to 4,92,887 beneficiaries under Shagun scheme during the past nine years.
“In 2015-16, total 60,046 beneficiaries were given financial assistance of Rs 90.07 crore. likewise, Rs 87.54 crore were disbursed to 58,362 beneficiaries in 2014-15 and 80,810 beneficiaries received Rs 121.21 crore in 2013-14. In 2012-13, total 82,287 beneficiaries were given a grant of Rs 124.30 crore under Shagun Scheme,” he said.
Ranike said that the SAD-BJP government has also cleared the backlog of pending cases during the tenure of the Congress Government.