PunjabSocial Justice, Empowerment and Minories Minister Mr. Sadhu Singh Dharmsot onMonday termed the Budget 2021-22 presented by Finance Minister Mr. ManpreetSingh Badal as progressive, pro-poor, development oriented. He lauded the Punjab budget and said that itwould boost Punjab’s economy and open a new path for development in allsectors.
Mr.Dharmsot said that Punjab accords a high priority to safeguard the interests ofpoverty stricken sections including SCs/BCs and Minorities by proposing anallocation of Rs. 1,372 crore for 2021-22 i.e. an increase of 52% over 2020-21of Rs. 901 crore under various welfare schemes for educational, socio economicand other development programmes.
Mr.Dharmsot Said that during 2020-21, the State Government has provided financialassistance of Rs. 120 crore to 57,142number of SC beneficiaries and Rs. 45crore to 21,428 BC/EWS beneficiaries. Under this scheme the Government hasprovided assistance of Rs. 21,000 to Scheduled Caste girls during 2020-21,daughters of widows of any caste at the time of their marriage and to ScheduledCaste widows/divorcees at the time of their re-marriage. To enhance the assistance under AshirwadScheme from Rs. 21,000 to Rs. 51,000 w.e.f. 01.07.2021, he added. An allocationof Rs. 250 crore has been provided in 2021-22 for this scheme.
Inorder to extend financial assistance to SC students, he said that, PunjabGovernment has set aside Rs. 750 crore for providing scholarships to two lakhstudents in the year 2021-22.
Likewise,with the intention of minimizing the drop-out rate from elementary to secondaryschool, enhancing their performance and providing them with a better chance ofprogressing to the Post-Matric stage of Education, an allocation of Rs. 60crore has been made for the year 2021-22 so as to provide support to theparents of Scheduled Caste Children for the education of their wards studyingupto 10th class.
SocialJustice Minister said that Punjab Government also undertaken to fill thebacklog of vacancies reserved for Scheduled Caste and Backward Classes in thevarious departments under the recruitments being made as a part of StateEmployment Plan 2020-22.