Benefits of social welfare schemes should reach uncovered areas: Dr Farooq Lone

SRINAGAR, JULY 31: Secretary Social Welfare Department, Dr Farooq Lone, Tuesday emphasized on giving due priority to the uncovered areas so that people especially women living there can avail the benefits of various welfare schemes.

The Secretary said this while taking a detailed review of the functioning of the Women Development Corporation, (JKWDC) at a meeting here today.  

The meeting was attended by Managing Director, JKWDC, Director Social Welfare Kashmir, Director Finance, Social Welfare, Director Planning Social Welfare Department, Special Secretary Social Welfare and other senior officers of the department.   

On the occasion, Dr. Lone stressed that JKWDC should take initiatives of preparing high-end designs to compete at the international market after branding WDC products.

While highlighting the role of JKWDC, he said that the Corporation must become a role model for other agencies dealing with the empowerment of women.

He emphasized on giving due priority to the uncovered areas so that women living there can also be benefited by various schemes of the Corporation.

The Secretary Social Welfare said that the sole aim of the agency with other concerned departments should be to empower the women folk socially and economically so that they may be able to earn their dignified livelihood.

Managing Director, JKWDC, Naheed Soz, while giving a detailed resume of the activities and achievement by the Corporation said that the corporation “has been awarded at the national level for implementing various schemes and programmes in the state successfully”.

She briefed the Secretary about the present status of various schemes launched by the Corporation for the uplift of the womenfolk.

She said that JKWDC has disbursed Rs 164.09 crore amongst 15134 beneficiaries directly and 75,670 indirectly under various loan schemes.

She further stated that out of Rs. 164.09 crore, 70 crore stand repaid to Government of India which makes 100% recoveries till date. Under Educational loan Scheme, so far JKWDC has benefitted 431 girls throughout the country out of which 20 girls are perusing education abroad like China, Bangladesh, Ukraine etc.

The meeting was informed that State Technical Education Department has imparted training to 6000 women beneficiaries who were linked to Micro Finance Scheme of JKWDC wherein Rs 4.80 crore have been released.

Later, the Secretary Social Welfare also held a meeting to take stock of the Composite Regional Centre (CRC) activities.

The meeting was attended by Director of Social Welfare Kashmir, Director Finance Social welfare, Director Planning Social Welfare Department, Special Secretary Social Welfare and another concerned.

During the meeting, the Secretary was informed about the functioning of the centre which has been established for the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities.

The CRC is providing human resource development by way of training rehabilitation professionals, village level workers, multi-rehabilitation workers and others.