Chief Secretary chairs JK State Rehabilitation Council meeting

Stresses on 100% DBT coverage of beneficiaries, procurement of scooty’s for differently-abled

Annual Plan of Rs 9.66 cr approved

            SRINAGAR, AUGUST 8- Chief Secretary, B B Vyas Tuesday asked the State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) to ensure that all victims of militancy including widows, orphans, handicapped and old age persons registered with the Council, receive monthly financial assistance directly into their bank accounts via DBT mode.

            As 90% beneficiaries have already been brought under DBT mode, a deadline of 15th of August, 2017 was set for 100% coverage under DBT and submitting of beneficiary data and Utilization Certificates (UCs) to the Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.

            Chairing the Executive Council meeting of SRC here, Chief Secretary said that linking the beneficiary bank account with Aadhaar and State and Central Government schemes will help beneficiaries avail benefits in addition to the normal pension/scholarship assistance.

            Chief Secretary observed that DBT/Aadhaar simplifies the government delivery processes, brings in transparency, efficiency and enables beneficiaries to get their entitlements directly in a convenient and seamless manner.

            Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Smt Ghazala Meenai, Principal Secretary, Home, R K Goyal, Secretary, Social Welfare, Sajad Ahmad Khan representative of Union Home Ministry and other senior officers were present in the meeting.

            Upon detailed deliberations, the Executive Council approved the Action Plan 2017-18 to the tune of Rs 8.01 crore, for covering over 7704 militancy victims including widows, daughters, old aged and handicapped persons and Action Plan 2017-18 of Rs 1.65 Crore for covering 1842 orphans.

            To address the growing demand of motorized tricycles, the Executive Council approved procurement of 290 more motorized tricycles.

In order to procure more motorized tricycles/ wheelchairs/ Scooty’s and aids/appliances etc, for differently-abled persons, the Council was asked to submit the proposal for release of requisite funds to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the State Planning Department and also to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, GoI.

            Chief Secretary asked the SRC to approach Entrepreneurship Development Institute/ reputed NGOs in order to prepare a suitable scheme for providing vocational training to the widows (victims of militancy) or their dependents, so that they can gain/upgrade skills in their field of preference.