Punjab Government has decided to approach the Central Government to raise the issues and problems being faced by the state in implementing the various social welfare schemes.
“The Union Government would be approached with regard to removing obstacles in implementing various welfare schemes being run through mutual cooperation by the Union and the State Governments,” said the state’s Social Justice, Empowerment and Minority Welfare Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot on Wednesday while presiding over the Department’s review meeting with the higher ups, district and tehsil level officers.
Dharamsot said that the running of SC/BC welfare schemes can only be justified if the benefits therein reach the concerned people especially those belonging to the economically weaker sections who can drastically change their lives with the benefits.
“There are some implications being faced in the matter of implementing the pre and post matric scholarship schemes and the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment would be approached with a view to resolve these,” he said.
Dharamsot also elaborated that the amount of Rs 34.46 crore, being given as ‘Shagan’ under the Aashirwad scheme on the occasion of marriage of the girls hailing from the SC and BC category families, would be released soon.
He said that with the releasing of this amount, all the cases of the Aashirwad scheme till June 2018, would be cleared. “Along with the amount given under Aashirwad scheme, a signed message extending congratulations by the Chief Minister would also be given,” he said.
The Minister also gave directions for the preparation of reports regarding vacant positions within 15 days.
Emphasizing the increased coordination with various departments to ensure benefits accruing at the grassroots level, he said that all welfare schemes must be given wide publicity through newspapers and other channels of media so as to bring awareness among the common folks with regard to the welfare schemes.