The State Social Welfare, Minorities Welfare and Backward Area Development Minister Yashpal Arya attended a meeting chaired by the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Thaawarchand Gehlot in New Delhi. Arya presented information to Gehlot while discussing the national survey of manual scavengers by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
The State Minister made demand for central assistance for cent per cent eradication of manual scavenging in the Dehradun, Haridwar, Rudrapur, Kashipur and Haldwani municipal corporation areas along with other urban areas of the State.
He sought central assistance for the State stressing upon the importance of equipment and modern treatment systems for waste disposal. Meeting Gehlot separately, Arya also put forward demands of the State under various schemes.
He sought Rs 17 crore under Dr Ambedkar post-matriculation scholarship for financial weaker students, Rs 55 crore for Other Backward Classes (OBC) post-matriculation scholarship under central sponsored scheme, Rs 113 crore for pensions for senior citizens, widows and differently-abled under National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), Rs 121 crore for scheduled caste post-matriculation scholarship (2017-18) and Rs 63 crore for scheduled caste post-matriculation scholarship (2016-17). Arya also sought Rs 22 crore for construction of hostels under Babu Jagjivan Ram hostel scheme in Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, Dehradun and Pauri along with Rs six crore grant to purchase of tourist cabs to link youth to self employment and tourism development through the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation.
The Union Minister assured Arya that officials of the ministry will be directed to release funds as required by the State under various heads.
Arya also met the Union minister for Tribal Affairs, Jual Oram at his residence and submitted information regarding schemes and demands of the state for tribal welfare. He sought Rs 124 crore for various tribal welfare works in the state.
These include construction of Eklavya model residential school buildings at Bazpur and Kalsi, setting up of computer labs in 16 Ashram-system schools run in Dehradun, Haridwar, Chamoli, Udham Singh Nagar and Pithoragarh, construction of girls hostels in Dehradun, Udham Singh Nagar, Pithoragarh and Chamoli along with various other schemes for the welfare of tribal. The state’s additional Chief Secretary Ranvir Singh was also present on the occasion.