• All pensions and shaguns to be dispensed with online
• Beneficiaries to fill application forms online to get financial help

NewZNew (Chandigarh) : In a bid to bring transparency and efficiency in disbursement of all types of pensions, shaguns and scholarships, the Punjab Government has decided to transfer all financial aids online into the bank accounts of beneficiaries from the next financial year. Besides, giving a big relief to beneficiaries, it was also decided that all forms submitted online by the beneficiaries with self-certification counter-signed by concerned authorized representatives, will be accepted by the departments.

Taking this fundamental decision Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal asked the finance, planning, social security, welfare and education departments to prepare dynamic web portals separately by January to facilitate them to upload requisite applications for getting financial help from concerned departments. “Application forms for availing all types of pensions and shaguns will be submitted online at Suwidha Kendras and Sewa Kendras whereas heads of educational institutes have been made responsible to submit necessary data of their beneficiary students for availing scholarships”, added Mr Badal.

Presiding over a review meeting regarding disbursements of pensions, shoguns, SC students and minority scholarships held here today, Deputy Chief Minister directed the social security, welfare, medical, technical, schools and higher education departments to initiate awareness campaign jointly in the state during January to provide opportunity for availing benefit of all welfare schemes to the beneficiaries.

Contemplating to retain the students in state institutions, Mr Badal asked the concerned departments to cover all government schools, colleges, ITIs including engineering, polytechnics, medical and para-medical institutes for provisioning of pre-matric, post-matric SC students and minority scholarships. He also directed to open savings bank accounts of all students beginning from class one to higher institutes so that different scholarships could be dispensed with online directly into their accounts without any wait.

He also directed that self-certification of application form attested by the concerned sarpanch/panch/namberdar/councilor/mayor or institution head would be used by the departments for approval of old age, widow and disability  pensions, shaguns under Ashirwad scheme including minority and SC students scholarship cases under all types of welfare schemes. To verify beneficiaries’ data, Mr Badal asked that external audit teams would check authenticity randomly for verification of availing benefits. To check unreasonable impediments in disbursements Deputy CM directed the finance department to sanction payments of all pensions, scholarships and shaguns without any delay.

Mrs Seema Jain informed the Deputy CM that state has forwarded case of 5,29,166 minority students under pre-matric scholarship scheme to get scholarships to the tune of Rs 141.38 crore form the center and union government has released first installment of Rs. 43.86 crore which would be distributed shortly. Adding she said that final proposal has also been sent during last month to get remaining grant. Besides, Rs. 88.77 crore has been disbursed to 55,892 students under post-matric scholarship scheme during this fiscal.

She also informed that total 71,880 SC students have applied online for scholarships during current academic year and welfare department has extended the deadline further to give opportunity to those who could not apply for the scheme due the late admissions in some institutions. Mrs Jain assured that all cases would be submitted after proper verification to the finance department for distribution of scholarships.

Among others present on the occasion included Principal Secretary Education Mr C. Roul, Secretary SC/BC Welfare Mrs Seema Jain, Principal Secretary to Deputy CM Mr PS Aujla, Secretary Social Security Jaspal Singh, Special Secretary Higher Education Mr Chander Gaind, Special Principal Secretaries to Deputy CM Mr Rahul Tiwari, Mr Manvesh Singh Sidhu and Mr Ajay Mahajan.