Welfare on Friday got a boost by way of grants of over Rs2400 crore for the financial year 2015-16 to carry out projects that directly affect lives of socially marginalised, disempowered, downtrodden of the society and provides opportunity to lead a better life through security related to health and income.
The demand for the amount presented on the floor of Jharkhand Assembly was passed by voice vote. However, the Government had to acknowledge that most of the welfare programmes are under-performing with too little achievements made on most of the components of welfare schemes.
Poor condition of Adivasi hostels and malnourishment of children, English education were among the points that were raised during the cut motion brought by Jharkhand Vikas Morcha MlA, Pradeep Yadav. Although the State Government acknowledged the dismal state of affairs yet they rejected the Opposition’s claim that the demands and grants request is devoid of fresh initiative towards welfare schemes.
“I would accept that Adivasi hostels are not in a good condition but if Adivasis are in bad condition even after 67 years of Independence then it must also be thought who is responsible for that,” said Minister Social Welfare, lois Marandi, adding “it is wrong to say that there is nothing new in the Budget. There are many new projects that the Government will launch in the next financial year.”
As many as three new broad initiatives will be launched in 2015-16 which includes Micro Forest Produce Marketing Project, Unnat Gram Yojna and tribal development plan supported by IFAD besides oprationalising five MESO hospitals. Moreover, the demands and grants approved by the Assembly envisages economic support to women by providing cattle, insurance of Rs50,000 for sevikas, hiring 12,000 malnourishment friend on contract to execute nutrition projects and making tribal students proficient in English to bring indigenous people at par with those who are good in language skills.
Notwithstanding the proposals, State government could not satisfy the Opposition over the controversy of Ready to Eat food, its poor quality and rationale for continuing with packed food that is a component of the world’s largest nutrition programme. Notably, Ready to Eat foods are being distributed as a part of Standard Nutrition Programme which is a sub-component of Integrated Child Development Programme.
“This is a programme of the Central Government and we cannot do anything about it. If the members of the Assembly are willing to do something then they may proceed,” said Marandi. The discussion of demands and grants highlighted areas of emphasis like providing assistance to working women by providing them shelter, fighting malnutrition through Malnutrition Treatment Centre and maintaining a compassionate stand towards single women.
Incidentally, the issue of delay in the completion of Haj House was brought to the notice of the House and the Minister assured to look into the alleged misappropriation and action against people responsible for the inordinate delay in the construction of the only transit home for Muslims leaving for pilgrimage.