Srinagar, Aug 08: Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale on Thursday said the government has undertaken several initiatives for the socio-economic empowerment of the disadvantaged and marginalised sections of the society.
He said the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has been implementing various schemes for the social, educational and economic development of the target groups.
Athawale made these remarks during a meeting with the officers of the Social Welfare Department at Hari Niwas Guest House. He said the government has a mission that will ensure a paradigm shift in the socio-economic condition of the people belonging to the weaker sections of the society.
“PM wants his ministers to assess the on-ground situation and take feedback from the public to effect positive changes in the lives of marginalised groups,” he said.
The Union Minister said that people should be made aware of various central government schemes so that deserving people take benefits and justice is ensured to the last man standing. He directed the officers to implement central schemes at the field level more effectively in Jammu and Kashmir.
Athawale enquired about the population and the reservation benefits of the SC/ST/OBC people in Jammu and Kashmir and directed the concerned officers to take steps accordingly so that benefits percolate to the lower strata of the society.
Commissioner Secretary Social Welfare Department, Sheetal Nanda gave a detailed presentation of the factual position of the reserved community in Jammu and Kashmir. She provided details about the scholarship scheme, the Prevention of Atrocities Act, old age homes, residential schools and other things.
Nanda highlighted various initiatives taken by the government for the welfare of the reserved category population. She said 15 castes have been included in the list of the OBC of Union Territory in addition to the existing 27 cates of OBCs.
“The reservation in direct recruitment and admission in various professional institutions increased from 2% to 4% in 2020 & from 4% to 8% in 2024,” she said, adding that in the last five years, 215,829 SC students and 84,072 OBC students have been provided pre-matric or post-matric scholarships.
The Commissioner Secretary further said that according to census data, the UT has a population of 361163 persons with disability out of which 192000 have been provided UDID cards and the rest of the cases are being followed.
“There are 16 old age homes running in JK out of which 10 are in Kashmir and 6 in Jammu,” Sheetal Nanda informed. “During the last three years, 74 FIRs have been produced in Jammu and Kashmir to prevent atrocities and hate crimes against the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.”
She added that the department has nominated 44 legal advisors to help in those cases and also nominated special courts in this regard. “The department is providing pension monthly to more than 7 lakh people in different categories like old age, disability and widows,” she said.
