The Punjab government on Monday decided to operationalise all the accounts linked with the beneficiaries of the social security welfare schemes within 15 days with a view to provide timely financial assistance to the needy.

Decision to this effect was taken on Monday in a high level meeting chaired by Razia Sultana, Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development Department.

The meeting was conducted to review the progress of various social security welfare schemes, in which DPOs (District Program Officers) DSSO (District Social Security Officers) and Program Heads participated. Another important decision taken in the meeting was to implement the Maternity Benefit Scheme in all the districts of the state.

Under this scheme the financial assistance of Rs.6000 would be given to the pregnant women registered with the Anganwari Centres from the period of delivery of the child to the age of 6 months.

Razia Sultana also directed the senior officers of the department to prepare an action plan for quarterly review of the working and progress achieved by different field level officers. The Minister also issued instructions for the anganwari workers to conduct survey on new born children in all the villages to prepare a data base of the sex ratio on monthly basis.

This data base would be used to chalk out elaborate policy to improve the sex ratio of the state. She instructed to start the website of the department so as to generate information regarding various welfare schemes and policy of the department to the poor and needy citizen.

SK Sandhu, Additional Chief Secretary, Social Security and Women & Child Development also issued directions for the officers of the headquarters to make two days field visits in a month to grasp the problems prevalent at grass root level and to ensure the redressal for the benefit of general public. He also asked the district officers to furnish their work appraisal reports to headquarter on fortnightly basis.

In the end, Minister exhorted the officers to work sincerity and diligence and to sensitize the public about the various welfare schemes of the department through various modes of communication.

Amongst others, who were present in the meeting included Ashwani Kumar, Special Secretary, Sukhwinder Singh, Director, Rajneesh Kumar, Additional Director, Kiran Dhawan, Additional Director, Lilly Chaudhary, Joint Director and all Deputy Directors.