COVID 19 Pandemic: SWD Shopian Provides Pensions and Scholarships on Mission Mode

Mudasir Maqbool

Shopian, June 12: The countrywide lockdown to contain spread of highly contagious COVID 19 has posed the Government with the biggest challenge of supporting the downtrodden, destitute and marginalised sections of the society like old age, physically challenged, widows and orphans. The only way forward was to provide monthly pension to existing beneficiaries in time bound manner and sanctioning pending pension cases in one go besides cent percent coverage under all beneficiaries oriented schemes.

The challenge was taken head on by team Social Welfare Shopian with guiding hands of Director General Social Welfare Kashmir Rukhsana Gani and District Development Commissioner Shopian Choudhary Mohammad Yasin. As soon as the lockdown was imposed, Rs. 163.96 Lacs as advance pension for months of March and April was credited into individual accounts of 8198 beneficiaries i.e. Rs. 2000 per beneficiary under Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS). Similarly under National Social Assistant Program (NSAP) Rs. 43.42 Lacs advance pension for March and April was provided to 2171 beneficiaries.

Meanwhile the Government, in first week of April, sanctioned 838 new cases under Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS) for 100% coverage of pending pension cases in the district. Tehsil Social Welfare Office headed by TSWO Farhana Tak under supervision of DSWO Mohammad Shafait completed the mammoth task of verifying 838 forms in a week time amid lockdown. These 838 new cases were sanctioned and pension for month of April amounting to Rs. 8.38 Lac was released to them.

The office was again tasked with release of advance pension for month of May in view of Eid ul Fitar. With great efforts of entire team of Social Welfare Shopian, Rs. 112.39 Lacs was released to 9036 and 2203 beneficiaries under ISSS and NSAP respectively.

Giving further details DSWO said under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) additional amount of Rs. 2.86 Lacs at rate of Rs. 500 was provided each to 455 widows and 117 disabled persons who are already covered National Social Assistance Program. During first week of lockdown Rs. 20000 was released each to 11 families who lost their sole bread earners under National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS).

DSWO further said that amid COVID 19 lockdown the office has ensured timely release of scholarships to destitute, physically challenged and students belonging to OBC category. During first week of lockdown, Rs. 24.89 Lacs as scholarship has been disbursed to 2679 students including Rs. 23.95 Lacs Pre-Matric scholarship to 2556 OBC students, Rs. 73800 to Physically Challenged and Rs. 20700 to 26 destitute students. The office has also verified 34384 online forms on National Scholarship Portal which includes 25515 for Prematric, 8472 for Postmatric and 397 for Merit-cum-Mean scholarships whereas 557 online scholarship forms of students belonging to OBC/EBC categories have been processed on State Portal.

Referring to children in need of care & protection, he said 58 identified children for non-institutional care were provided Rs. 5.80 Lacs in the month of April. Besides special attention is given to physical, psychological and emotional needs of children residing in Child Care Institutions. Regular counselling and medical check ups are arranged for them for their physical and mental wellbeing and they are provided with adequate stock of masks, sanitisers, hand wash and soaps.