Page 9 - Welfare Schemes

75% beneficiaries of PM SVANidhi from non-general category: SBI research

An SBI research report has praised the Modi government's micro-credit scheme for street vendors for ensuring "inclusive entrepreneurship" and said nearly 75 per cent of its beneficiaries come from the non-general category with the OBCs accounting for 44 per cent. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes account for 22 per cent of the total disbursement of the PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme and 43 per cent of the total beneficiaries are women, the report said. "Female share indicates empowerment of entrepreneurial capabilities of urban female, giving SVANidhi a gender equaliser tag," it said. Sharing the report on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "This in-depth research by Soumya Kanti Ghosh of the State Bank of India provides a very clear picture of the transformative impact of PM SVANidhi." "It notes the inclusive nature of this scheme and highlights how it has led to financial empowerment," he added. The prime minister shared highlights of the re

Sukhu releases Rs 9.72 cr to 324 affected families for house construction

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday released the first instalment of Rs 9.72 crore as special relief to 324 affected families in Kullu district for construction of houses. The state government provided the aid under its rehabilitation initiative 'Punrvaas' to families whose houses were completely damaged in rain-related disasters during the June 24 to September 30 period, a statement issued here said. An amount of Rs 3 lakh each was released to the 324 affected families through the direct benefit transfer method, it said. The Himachal government has announced a special relief package of Rs 4,500 crore for people affected by rain-related disasters during the monsoon season. He said over 75,000 stranded tourists were evacuated safely during the monsoon season. The state suffered a loss of more than Rs 12,000 crore and about 16,000 houses were damaged, out of which 13,000 were completely destroyed, Sukhu said. A third team of the central government has

PM sets 6 months target to ensure full saturation of govt's welfare schemes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a target of six months to ensure the full saturation of his government's welfare schemes, official sources said on Saturday. The government, they said, will launch a mega drive, Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, across all 2.7 lakh panchayats in the country to reach out to beneficiaries and enrol them. The sources added that the exercise will begin after Diwali next month and continue for several weeks. Specially fitted 'raths' will reach the beneficiaries across the country, they said. In a recent Cabinet meeting, Modi exhorted his colleagues to work harder and ensure that deserving beneficiaries who have still not got the benefits of welfare schemes are reached out to faster, they said. During a meeting with top officials, he underlined the need to expedite the saturation of welfare schemes. "He said he wants all his schemes to reach full saturation in the next six months," a source said. The drive will ensure the saturation of schemes such as

Additional payments being approved for MGNREGS, no funds shortage: Minister

Additional allocations will be sanctioned for the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and the finance ministry has assured there will be no shortage, Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh has said, dismissing criticisms of the flagship programme not being given sufficient funds. In an interview with PTI, the minister also alleged large-scale corruption under the scheme in West Bengal. Asked if the Centre will undertake any probe, Singh replied in the affirmative but did not elaborate on the nature of the probe. "The MGNREGS is a demand-driven scheme, everyone knows that," he said, adding: "The Union finance ministry has sanctioned additional funds for it." Sources in the finance ministry have said additional funds of Rs 28,000 crore have been sanctioned for the MGNREGS which would be cleared in the next Parliament session. The allocation for the MGNREGS in the 2023-23 Budget was Rs 60,000 crore. Accusing the opposition of creating confusion over the flagship .

Ujjwala scheme beneficiaries will be given 1 gas cylinder for free: UP CM

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday announced that Ujjwala scheme beneficiaries will be given a cooking gas cylinder free of cost as a Diwali gift. The chief minister made the announcement during an event in Bulandshahr where he inaugurated and laid the foundation of multiple development projects worth Rs 632 crore. The projects include 104 projects worth Rs 208 crore that have been inaugurated, and 152 projects worth Rs 424 crore whose foundation stone has been laid. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a gift to every family through the Ujjwala yojna and reduced cylinder prices by Rs 300. Now we have also decided that every Ujjwala yojna connection beneficiary will be given one cooking gas cylinder free of cost as a Diwali gift," Adityanath said. Adityanath said getting LPG gas connections was a difficult task before the current BJP government came to power in 2014. Around 1.75 crore families in Uttar Pradesh alone have benefited from the Ujjwala scheme, he

Centre to save Rs 18,000 cr by removing fake accounts from welfare schemes

About 17.1 million duplicate or ineligible farmers receiving PM Kisan benefits and 3.3 million fake or duplicate MGNREGA beneficiaries have been removed

CM Adityanath launches fourth phase of Mission Shakti in Uttar Pradesh

Women are capable of achieving remarkable feats with will power and support from the government, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Saturday while launching the fourth phase of Mission Shakti in Uttar Pradesh. Adityanath also said a campaign would be launched from October 15 as part of the fourth phase to educate people about government initiatives concerning the protection and well-being of women and girls. He launched the fourth phase of Mission Shakti, an initiative focused on promoting women's safety and self-reliance, from his official residence by flagging off a women empowerment rally. The rally, which traversed several locations in the capital, aims to enhance public awareness regarding various government schemes for the welfare of women and daughters, an official release issued here said. Citing the various government schemes which have helped women , Adityanath emphasised that "with will power and backing from the government and administration, women have the potentia

PM Modi reviews progress on schemes based on I-Day speech announcements

During the meeting, he took stock of the various livelihood interventions planned to achieve this target

Amit Shah to chair review meeting of Vishwakarma scheme with BJP leaders

Earlier last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17 launched the PM Vishwakarma scheme aimed at benefitting traditional artisans and craftspeople

Rs 17,225 cr disbursed to support 5.4 mn marginalised people: Minister

Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar on Saturday said funds amounting to Rs 17,225 crore have been disbursed to provide support and empower more than 54 lakh individuals from marginalised sections across the country. According to a press statement, Kumar inaugurated the Shilp Samagam Mela at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow. In his address at the inaugural event, Kumar said, "Funds amounting to Rs 17,225 crore, benefiting more than 54 lakh individuals from different parts of the country have been disbursed to provide support and empower marginalised sections through various programmes focused on educational, economic, and social development, as well as the rehabilitation of its target groups," the statement read. The Shilp Samagam Mela is being organised by the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC), National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC), and the National Safai Karmi ...

MP offers Rs 5 meals under Deendayal Rasoi Food scheme, launches vehicles

The Madhya Pradesh government on Saturday launched food vehicles under the Deendayal Rasoi Yojana aimed at providing a full meal to labourers and the needy at Rs 5 near their work locations. The food vehicles were flagged off by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Notably, assembly elections are due in Madhya Pradesh in November this year. "Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay used to consider the poor as God and according to his mantras, many schemes are being operated in Madhya Pradesh to serve such people," Chouhan said on the occasion. He said poor people can now buy food at concessional rates. "Migrant workers and other needy citizens can get a full meal near their workplace through this scheme," the chief minister added. Chouhan said a major chunk of the daily earnings of labourers who come to cities for work is spent on food, but now, they will get fresh food at just Rs 5 at their place of work which will save them money and time. He said the state government has made arrangements

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot challenges PM Modi's 'guarantee' on schemes

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot demanded the Prime Minister implement the schemes on a national level to underscore his commitment to the welfare schemes

Himachal CM distributes Rs 4.6 crore among over 2,000 orphan children

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu here on Tuesday distributed Rs 4.68 crore among over 2,000 orphan children for various expenses such as hostel and education fees, an official statement said. The amount was directly transferred to the children's bank accounts during a state-level 'Mukhyamantri Sukh Aashray' function here presided over by the chief minister. The 'Mukhyamantri Sukh Ashraya Yojana' aims to provide comprehensive support to orphans, specially-abled children, destitute women, and elderly individuals in the state, the government release said. "In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, my government took a decision to adopt the orphans, the specially-abled children as the 'Children of the State' to work for their upliftment and well-being, giving them all parental care, besides taking care of the destitute women and elderly who have no one to look after," the chief minister was quoted as saying at the event. He added that under the 'Sukh Ashraya Yojana', ...

MS Swaminathan: A visionary scientist, staunch advocate of farmers' welfare

The formidable agriculture scientist's vision can be of help in the challenges Indian agriculture faces now

Over 140,000 applications received for PM Vishwakarma in 10 days: Govt

Within ten days of its launch, the PM Vishwakarma scheme has received more than 1.40 lakh applications, Union Minister Narayan Rane said on Wednesday. The Minister for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, through his post on X (formerly Twitter), wrote that PM Vishwakarma Yojana is a result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision and receiving of such high numbers of applications within ten days of the launch is a testament to its success. He further stated that the PM Vishwakarma Scheme will be a milestone for the comprehensive development of our socially and economically underprivileged Vishwakarma brothers and sisters and it will restore their lost identity which has been long awaited. The Union Minister said that this scheme aims to enhance traditional artisans and craftspersons production capacity and take their products to domestic and global markets. Under the scheme, 18 types of artisans and craftsmen will be benefited. Skill training will be provided to the beneficiaries

Rajasthan elections: Plea filed against state's free smartphone scheme

The Rajasthan High Court has asked the Ashok Gehlot-led state government to respond to the petition

LIVE: Canada issues travel advisory for its residents going to India

Catch all the latest updates from across the globe here

Delhi govt targets 1.5 mn construction workers, jump in welfare spending

Delhi government has targeted to raise the number of registered construction workers in the city to 15 lakh this year and increase spending on various welfare schemes for them by 20 times, officials said on Monday. The move comes in the wake of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal earlier this year expressing dissatisfaction over less number of registration of workers and emphasising to increase it further. As per official data, the number of registered workers was 13 lakh by end of 2022-23. The Delhi government will also raise spending on welfare schemes meant for construction workers to Rs 246 crore this year, up from 12.66 crore last year, officials said. Last year over 4,500 applications were received from registered construction workers for various welfare schemes run by Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board. Out of which, just over 2,000 were processed for benefits of different schemes with an expenditure of Rs 12.66 crore, a labour department officer said.

Subsidy of Rs 150 cr distributed under PM's Employment Generation Programme

In the presence of KVIC Chairman Manoj Kumar, these fundamental agreements were signed with Prasar Bharati, NBCC (India) Limited, and Digital India Corporation, said an official statement

Govt to provide up to 8% interest subsidy for Vishwakarma Yojana: FM

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government will offer up to 8 per cent subsidy for loans given to artisans under the Vishwakarma Yojana launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. The government has already made a provision of Rs 13,000 crore in the Budget 2023-24, she said during the launch event of the Yojana. Sharing the details of Vishwakarma Yojana, the finance minister said collateral-free loans to artisans would be provided at a very affordable interest rate of 5 per cent. The scheme covers 18 activities including carpenter, goldsmith, blacksmith, mason, stone sculpture, barber and boatmakers, she said, adding, the government will provide up to Rs 3 lakh loan. Initially, she said, Rs 1 lakh loan will be given and the beneficiary would be eligible for an additional Rs 2 lakh after repayment schedule of 18 months. The components of the scheme will include not only financial support but also access to advanced skill training, knowledge of modern digital ..