Jammu region has more children in need of care and protection than Kashmir province, reveals comparison of the data compiled by the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) department.
Of the 15000 applications received for monthly cashassistance to children in need across Jammu and Kashmir, over 13000 are fromJammu province alone.
In order to prevent children from becoming victims of childlabour, begging or any sort of abuse and also to ensure continuance of properfamily care and education, ICPS provides cash assistance of Rs 2000 per month.
The assistance is provided to children of families whosemonthly income is less than Rs 2150 as prescribed under Juvenile Justice (Careand Protection of Children) Act.
In Jammu, 333 applications for cash assistance have beenreceived by the ICPS department, of them 220 were found eligible forassistance.
“The ICPS under the sponsorship scheme has providedfinancial assistance to 58 children per district and in total 1276 childrenwere brought under the purview of the scheme by crediting the benefits in thebank accounts of beneficiaries directly,” the ICPS documents reveal.
In Kathua district, 65 applications for cash assistance werereceived, 58 were found eligible and provided the benefits.
Similarly, in Samba, 200 applications for cash assistancewere received, all the 200 were found eligible, but only 58 were provided theassistance.
In Udhampur, 110 applications were received, 58 foundeligible after scrutiny.
In order to identify children in need of care andprotection, ICPS issued a notification in July last year seeking applicationsfrom the deserving families.
A total of 26000 applications were received, afterverification and Home Study Reports (HSRs) 15500 cases were found eligible andover 1200 were provided the cash benefits.
After the ICPS issued the notification, 165 people appliedfor assistance in Reasi district, of them 115 were found eligible and 58 wereprovided the benefits.
In Ramban, 5286 people applied for sponsorship, of them only3000 were found genuine cases and 58 were brought under the purview of thescheme.
In Doda, 348 applications were received and 140 were foundeligible after verification.
Similarly in Kishtwar, 3835 people applied for cashassistance, of them 212 were found eligible as per the guidelines of ICPS and58 were given the benefits.
In Poonch of the 348 applications, only 154 applicationswere found eligible and 58 were prioritised.
In district Rajouri, the highest 13000 applications werereceived, 9000 were found eligible and 58 received the cash assistance.
In Jammu region, over one Lakh applications were received,of them about 13000 were found eligible and 580 were provided the cashassistance.
Contrary to Jammu region, ICPS has received less applicationfrom Kashmir division.
In district Srinagar, 87 applications for cash assistancewere received by the ICPS, 58 found eligible recieved the benefits.
Similarly, in district Baramulla 140 applications werereceived, 96 passed the test and 58 were provided the benefits of the scheme.
In Anantnag, 190 applicants applied for the benefits of thescheme, 125 found eligible as per the provision of the scheme and 58 got thebenefits.
In Kupwara the 243 people who filed the application all werefound eligible for the scheme.
In Shopian district a total of 214 people applied for thescheme, of them 100 have been verified and 58 prioritised.
In Budgam, Kulgam, Pulwama, Bandipora and Ganderbal a totalof 1, 126 applications were received, of them 893 were found eligible and 290(58 in each district) were provided the benefit of the scheme.
In Leh and Kargil, 247 applications for cash assistance werereceived, 216 found eligible and 116 were given the assistance.
“During the year 2019-20 proposal for bringing all the 15500children under the purview of the scheme has been submitted to the centralgovernment,” the IPCS data document says.