STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Various schemes for the social and economic upliftment of the girls belonging to poor families, irrespective of their religion or region, were launched when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was in coalition for ten months in the State and the party urges upon the present government to further popularise these schemes to achieve the objectives.
BJP State Spokesperson Balbir Ram Rattan, in an official handout, said that the previous government in Jammu and Kashmir had focused on welfare of the girls and improving their financial position by launching ‘Ladli Beti’ and State Marriage Assistant Scheme (SMAS), which need to publicised so that the genuinely deserving families can avail their benefits.
“Ladli Beti scheme was launched by our coalition, wherein the government contributes rupees one thousand every month on behalf of every new born girl child with effect from April 2015”, Balbir said and added that the monthly deposit would continue for next 14 years thereafter and the girl on attaining the age of 21 years, would received a sum of Rs 6.5 lakh.
He said that the scheme was carved to stop the menace of female foeticide since the girl child is still being treated as a curse in poor families in particular.
Balbir further said that State Marriage Assistance Scheme was also launched as a social assistance scheme meant for unmarried girls of the State living below poverty line, under which the eligible girl can avail one-time financial assistance of Rs 25,000 besides cost of 5 gram of gold, which too can be very helpful to the poor girls at the time of their marriage.
Balbir made a fervent appeal to the government to further publicise these schemes so that far-flung, remote and urban areas are covered and maximum population is benefitted.
Social Welfare Department, which is nodal department to implement these schemes, should be strictly directed to take effective steps for the purpose, he said. “While the previous government had launched these schemes for a noble social cause, the present government should put more efforts to ensure that these are taken to every nook and corner”, Balbir said and added that even the members of civil society should also contribute in guiding and helping the poor girls to avail these schemes as it is also a noble service to the humanity.
