At a meeting in Mysuru, Karnataka, Union Social Justice and Empowerment Secretary Sudhansh Pant assessed how major central government welfare programmes are being implemented alongside the state's Social Welfare Department administration.
Officials from state and district Social Welfare and Other Backward Classes Welfare departments attended. The Managing Director of the Tanda Development Corporation also took part.
The review covered measures to reduce drug demand under NAPDDR and the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, as well as PM AJAY. Progress under the NAMASTE mechanised sanitation initiative, Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana and other programmes for older people was also discussed.
Officials examined pre- and post-matric scholarships for Scheduled Castes, OBCs, EBCs and DNTs. They also considered progress in strengthening enforcement arrangements for the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, and the Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989.
Further discussions addressed rehabilitation support for people engaged in begging through SMILE, welfare measures for transgender persons under SMILE, and hostel construction for OBC girls and boys.
Pant called for government schemes to be administered transparently and effectively, with attention to identifying and reaching every eligible prospective beneficiary.
He asked officials to explain programme benefits and requirements clearly to the people they are intended to support. Such outreach, he said, is necessary to help central government assistance reach potential recipients.
During the visit, Pant inspected sites in Mysuru and acknowledged the work of officials and others involved in delivering public programmes.