Essentials, all help being ensured to eco-weaker, down trodden sections: DG Social Welfare Jmu

Essentials, all help being ensured to eco-weaker, down trodden sections: DG Social Welfare Jmu

POONCH TODAY NEWS

JAMMU: As part of measures to mitigate sufferings of economically weaker and down trodden sections during Corona Virus (Covid-19) lockdown, Social Welfare department has been working round the clock to ensure that basic necessities, essential commodities and other help is available to the poor and destitute living in the Union Territory. This was stated by Director General Department of Social Welfare Jammu , Rehana Batul today while elaborating on the measures taken by the department during Covid-19 lockdown. She said that with a large number of pensioners dependent on the Government including old age, widows, physically disabled pensioners, as part of instant relief, Administration has provided two month advance payment to the 3,16,451 existing beneficiaries in Jammu Division. Besides, new pensions in favour of about 90,000 cases in the Division have been approved by the government for which verifications have almost been completed; pensions in all verified cases to be disbursed within 4-5 days, she added.

Regarding Scholarships, DG informed that the department has ensured disbursement of scholarships up to 31st March 2020 to over one lakh students despite the lockdown to ensure that the beneficiaries from weaker sections get their scholarships on time. These scholarships are being provided to SC, OBC, Economically-backward students under various centrally and UT sponsored schemes. The DG also said the Department is undertaking regular weekly inspections of Bal Ashrams, Nari Niketans, Residential Schools for Visually Impaired, Halfway Homes and other residential institutions, both government-run and those managed by Non-Governmental Organisation to ensure that these places are complying with guidelines to combat Covid-19.

She further said the department is providing masks, sanitisers and other protection equipment to these institutions besides ensuring adequate and good quality ration is being supplied to these homes, both government and NGO-run, so that inmates don’t suffer under the prevailing situation.

The DG further added that besides SW department, allied wings like Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), others are also working on war footing to alleviate the sufferings of distressed and destitute during Covid-19 lockdown.