Notwithstanding huge burden on the exchequer and over 28,000 pending cases, Punjab Government has decided to dole out freebies by extending the benefits under the Shagun scheme to the backward classes and the economically weaker sections.
Initiated to woo voters, the SAD-BJP Government’s ambitious scheme is facing the pendency of 27,935 cases, with the beneficiaries awaiting compensation since 2011. Several cases are lying pending since 2009-10 and 2010-11.
By bringing the girls of BC and EWS sections under Shagun scheme’s ambit, the “cash strapped” Punjab Government may find itself in soup as it is likely to put an additional burden of crores on the State’s already “burdened” treasury.
As of now, the authorities concerned are “uncertain” about the exact number of beneficiaries to be covered.
The scheme is aimed at supporting the financially poor from the scheduled castes (SC) or Christian communities to marry-off their daughters, entitling them to the amount of Rs15,000 at the time of wedding; the same amount is also given at the time of remarriage of widows or divorcee.
This was part of the poll promise of SAD. Meanwhile, it is yet to take a call on another poll promise of enhancing Shagun Scheme allowance from Rs15,000 to Rs31,000.
“What to say of increase in money, the Government has not yet paid the Shagun of Rs15,000 to about 28,000 girls for two years,” said Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa.
As per the data available, a total of 11,210 and 16,725 applications are lying pending with the State Department of Social Welfare for the year 2011-12 and 2012-13 respectively.
Highest — 4,012 beneficiaries are awaiting their Shagun money for past two years in Amritsar only, followed by Gurdaspur with 3,204 cases, and ludhiana with 2.351 cases.
Interestingly, no case is pending in the districts of Sri Muktsar Sahib, Fazilka, and Bathinda — home districts of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, son Sukhbir Badal, and daughter-in-law Harsimrat Badal in the year 2011-12 — the polling year. For 2012-13, these districts are also witnessing backlog of 354 cases, 684 cases, and 799 cases respectively.
State Welfare of SC-BC Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike has, however, assured that the pendency will be completed in the current fiscal year.
“Directions have been issued to the officers concerned to take up the pending cases during 2009-10 and 2010-11 in the current financial year. We assure the department will first dispose the pending applications, and then ensure smooth running of the scheme in current fiscal,” said Ranike.
However, the scheme is marred by fake beneficiaries, delay in payments, misappropriation of funds.
Making earnest effort to plug the loopholes, the Punjab government has now issued instructions to all the beneficiaries to get their bank accounts opened in the banks with Indian Financial System (IFS) Code so that the Shagun amount could be deposited through online Banking Management System.