Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
* Holds a north zone video conference with the Social security minister & Social welfare minister
Chandigarh, The Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Mr. Thaawar Chand Gehlot today took stock of the various ongoing centrally sponsored welfare schemes of Social welfare and Social Security departments in Punjab.
The Minister along with his administrative team of senior bureaucrats while reviewing the progress of the schemes through video conference emphasized upon the need of rehabilitating the manual scavengers in some self employment schemes besides ensuring financial and social security benefits to the senior citizens and persons belonging to the scheduled castes and backward classes. He has also asked Mr. Surjit Kumar Jayani Social Security Minister and Mr. Gulzar Singh Ranike, Social Welfare Minister Punjab and also the state level officers to check the incidents of atrocities towards the scheduled castes and backward classes, if any, besides providing adequate security cover to the identified aged beneficiaries under Old age benefit schemes.
Addressing the first ever zonal video conference of the North Zone consists of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttranchal, Delhi, Chandigarh, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh; the Union Minister also asked the ministers of the departments concerned to review the lists of the beneficiaries for each centrally sponsored schemes so that the actual beneficiaries could be fully covered.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Jaspal Singh Secretary Social Security assured the Union Minister that the state government would complete all the formalities of online registration of the recognized NGOs working together with the Punjab government by November 30. All the backlog of the cases lying pending due to some technical reasons would be completed on priority. Under the Implementation of Schemes for Older Persons the central government has released Rs. 11.17 Lakhs as against the central allocation of Rs. 131 lakhs.
Briefing the Union Minister on the issues relating to the welfare of SC and BC, Ms. Seema Jain, Secretary Social Welfare Department said that as per the guidelines of the Union government, the Punjab government has taken up the cases of rehabilitating the 64 identified manual scavengers in some self employment schemes. She said that if required technical training for skill development would also be imparted to them. She urged Mr. Gehlot to release the remaining amount of Rs. 25 crore 65 lakh to the state on priority so that that the development activities could continue benefitting the beneficiaries. She also assured the Union Government that the ongoing construction work of the hostels meant for SC/BC students under the Jagjiwan Ram Chatravas Yojna would be expedited.
Prominent amongst others who were present in the Video Conference representing the department included Ms. Alaknanda Dayal. Director Social Security and Mr. Paramjit Singh Director Social Welfare were present along with the officers concerned of both the departments.
