Punjab Cabinet approves one-time grant for widows, dependent children

The Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday decided to give a one-time grant of Rs 1,000 to widows, destitute women, dependent children and disabled people.

This will be over and above the monthly pension of Rs 1,500 being given to them.

This financial assistance will be credited directly into their bank accounts.

This one-time grant will cost the state exchequer Rs 277.13 crore and benefitting 27.71 lakh beneficiaries, according to an official release.

A decision to this effect was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi here.

The Cabinet also gave approval to release Rs 25 crore to Guru Ravidass Bani Adhayayn Centre Committee, Dera Sachkhand Ballan.

To ensure effective formulation and implementation of the Scheduled Castes Sub Plan, the Punjab Cabinet approved the outline of the proposed Punjab State Welfare and Development of Scheduled Castes (Planning, Earmarking and Utilization of Financial Resources) Sub-Allocation Ordinance, 2022.

The new law will be instrumental in ensuring transparency and accountability at all levels in the implementation of Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) and there will also be a provision of incentives for commendable performance.

The percentage of the SC population in the state is 31.94 per cent, which is the highest in the country.

For the development of Scheduled Castes, various schemes under the plan are being implemented by the different departments.

According to a spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office, to ensure effective implementation of these schemes, the state government has decided to enact a law on the Scheduled Castes Sub Plan.

In this regard, an Ordinance would be presented to the Punjab Governor for approval.

Under the Act, funds at least equal to the percentage of SC population will be allocated for their welfare.

The Cabinet also approved the release and disbursement of Rs 3,000 per construction worker registered with the Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers' Welfare Board (BOCW) as an interim financial relief in view of the challenging situation caused by COVID-19.