Jammu, Mar 8: Minister for Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo today informed the Legislative Council that two new welfare schemes, Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) and Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) are being launched in the state to cover a significant number of beneficiaries.
 Replying to a question by Ravinder Sharma during Question Hour in Legislative Council, the minister said the department has well defined method for identification of beneficiaries and sanctioning of financial assistance in favour of deserving persons.
 She said the government has framed district level committees, headed by District Development Commissioners (DDC) which are empowered to sanction the cases after completion of required formalities, laid down under different pension schemes.
 The minister said that 28137 deserving persons of Rajouri district are getting financial assistance under Social Welfare Schemes. She assured that the pending cases for providing financial assistance would be settled on priority.
 In reply to another question, raised by   B. R. Kundal, the Minister informed the House that various scholarship schemes are under implementation for the students belonging to weaker sections. She said the Government contemplates to rationalize these schemes and increase the rates of scholarship.
 Replying to supplementaries of   Ajay Sadhotra and   Murtaza Khan, the Minister gave details about distribution of scholarships, category wise to the students of each district. She said there is no criteria of income for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Gujjar and Bakarwal students for getting scholarships, adding that relaxation of criteria for OBC and other weaker sections students would be re-examined.
 Replying to another question by   Bashir Ahmad Magray, the Minister said that 1135 physically challenged and 1855 women in distress of Rajpora Constituency and 971 physically challenged and 1870 women in distress of Pulwama Constituency are being provided pension under various schemes. She assured the House that the pending cases of financial assistance under welfare schemes of these constituencies would be settled on priority.
 Replying to another question of   Muhammad Rashid Qureshi, the Minister has said that there are 351 Anganwari Centres functioning in Mendhar Constituency. She said that 67 more Anganwari Centres have been proposed to be opened in the Constituency under phase-III Expansion Programme. She said that the norms for establishment of Anganwari Centres have been fixed by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development Department.
 The Minister said that in areas where population is between 400-800 populated areas, one Anganwari Centre is established and for two AWCs, the size of the population of the area has been fixed between 800-1600. She said the criteria fixed for selection of Anganwari workers is also being adopted as per norms, adding that under the scheme, the selected female candidate should be in the age-group of 18 to 44 years with minimum qualification of Matric and she should be a permanent resident of the State.
 Replying to a supplementary, the Minister informed the House that in a situation where there is tie up between eligible daughter-in-law or un-married girl of the concerned revenue village, preference shall be given to daughter-in-law.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 8 Mar 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 8 Mar 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 9 Mar 2010 00:00:00 IST