Punjab govt to verify welfare schemes

Punjab minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot today directed officials to verify all welfare schemes within 15 days and rectify discrepancies to ensure benefits reach genuine persons.
The purpose of having welfare schemes for schedule castes (SC) and backward classes (BC) will only be served when benefits under them reach the true beneficiaries, he said during a review meeting of the Punjab Welfare Department here.
The economically weaker sections can better their lives through these schemes, the Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Welfare minister said.
The minister also asked for a comprehensive report on hostels constructed under the 'Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatravas Yojana'.

A proposal on constructing hostels for girls in Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala, Bathinda, Ludhiana and Mohali will be sent to the Centre, he said, adding 100 students will be staying at each of these residential facilities.
He instructed that applications for the 'shagun' and the inter-caste marriage schemes will be received through Sewa Kendars to ensure transparency.
Scholarship forms of students studying at private institutions should be verified by the Tehsil Welfare Officer or the District Welfare Officer before being send to the Centre, to stop the misuse of the schemes, he said.