UP minister for Women Welfare, Sayeed Sadab Fatima has asked the department for optimum utilisation of funds provided under the Rani laxmibai Women Awards fund for the uplift of under- privileged women in the state.
The minister, recently inducted into the ministry, was peeved at the lack of utilisation of funds while reviewing the department’s functioning for the first time. She also interacted with officials from other districts through video-conferencing.
“Against the allocation of Rs 49 crores, the department has spent merely Rs 20 crores till October. This implies that the government has failed to reach the target audience. My first priority would be to ensure that benefits of government schemes reach the people,” she told the media in lucknow on Monday.
The state government has sanctioned Rs 100 crore for the Rani laxmibai women award funds. She said that under the scheme department had given financial assistance of Rs 3 lakh each to 70 acid attack.
“From the next fiscal, the department will provide financial assistance to two toppers of class eight of 746 Kasturba Gandhi girls schools. Besides 115 girls of the 23 government schools under Ashram model, would also be financiallly assisted,” Fatima said adding that government’s priority would be to educate girls which translates into educating a nation.