Hold camps to register all eligible pension beneficiaries: Chief Secy

Srinagar, Sep 11: Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta Monday, while reviewing the beneficiary oriented schemes implemented by the Social Welfare Department, impressed upon its officers to work in a mission mode and hold camps at village level to register eligible beneficiaries for old age/widow/specifically-abled pension in their favour.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Director Social Welfare, Kashmir/Jammu, District Social Welfare Officers (DSWOs) besides other concerned officers of the Department.
During the meeting the Chief Secretary maintained that the administration is pro-poor and has their welfare on top of its agenda. He underscored the need of reaching to these needy people as it is the primary objective of the Department.
He mentioned that during his interactions with the people he came across demands regarding the issuance of pension from the Department. He stated that it is the right of these eligible old aged people to claim their rights and the administration is duty bound to provide them same in a time bound manner.
He directed them to collaborate with the Revenue Department and complete verification of all the pending cases within a week’s time. He told them to declare a time table in a day or two for such camps and widely publish it for information of all the concerned. He urged them that no eligible person should be left out and those cases verified should be provided pension forthwith.
He told them to settle the pension cases of at least 1 lakh beneficiaries by next two weeks and complete all the pendencies by the end of month. He also asked them to work for release of their accumulated arrears therefrom in a phased manner.
Dr Mehta further stressed on distribution of benefits among the deserving population only. He asked for providing of PHH ration cards among the most deserving population as per the criteria laid down. He made out that no complaints should be there regarding exclusion of eligible beneficiaries. He urged them that merit should be the only criteria to categorize people in these hierarchies.
The Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare, Sheetal Nanda gave out during this meeting that the DSWOs/TSWOs have already been sensitized by her that no pendencies beyond 2 working days shall be acceptable at their end. She further said that the verifications pending for want of reports from the revenue officials would also be taken in a mission mode.
She reiterated that camps as directed by the chair would be organized as per the schedule to be laid down and cases settled on merits as per the set timelines given in the meeting.