Ensuring benefits of welfare schemes reach all a priority, says Kullu MLA
Local MLA Sunder Singh Thakur on Saturday directed officials to ensure effective, transparent and time-bound implementation of schemes so that benefits reach all and no eligible beneficiary was left out. He chaired a meeting of the District Welfare Committee at the multipurpose building here.
During the meeting, approval was granted for all schemes for the 2024-25 financial year, and approval was also given for 100 per cent expenditure on all schemes for 2025-26. It was revealed in the meeting that during the 2024-25 financial year, a total allocation of Rs 97.19 crore was made for various district welfare schemes, against which Rs 96.55 crore was expended. Thus, 99.34 per cent of the total allocation was utilised. For the current financial year, a budget provision of Rs 75.69 crore has been made under various welfare and social security schemes operated through the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment in the district. As of January 31, 2026, Rs 70.12 crore has been spent on these schemes.
The MLA said that under various schemes like the Swarn Jayanti Ashray Yojana (for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes), the Inter-caste Marriage Award Scheme, the Divyang Marriage Grant Scheme, the Divyang Scholarship Scheme, the Computer Application Scheme, the Relief Scheme for persons affected by atrocities, and the Indira Gandhi Pyari Bahana Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojana, Rs 1.86 crore was expended. Under this category, benefits were provided to 2,968 individuals against a set target of 2,848.
He said that under social security schemes, the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme, Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme, Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme, Old Age Pension Scheme, Widow/Single Woman Pension Scheme, and Disability Relief Allowance Scheme were being implemented. A budget provision of Rs 73.82 crore was made for these schemes, out of which Rs 68.25 crore has been expended. Under this category, 53,771 eligible people are being benefited.
In the meeting, Thakur directed the departments concerned to ensure widespread publicity of the Mukhyamantri Vidhwa Evam Ekal Nari Awas Yojana (Chief Minister’s Widow and Single Woman Housing Scheme). He said information about the scheme should be effectively disseminated up to the panchayat level so that needy widows and single women can get its benefits in time and safe and respectable housing facilities can be ensured for eligible beneficiaries. It was also directed in the meeting that the remaining funds be utilised in a time-bound, transparent, and effective manner according to the standards set by the government, so that eligible beneficiaries can receive the maximum benefit from the district welfare schemes.
