The city Corporation on Friday inaugurated a slew of welfare measures targeted mainly at the differently abled and economically backward categories. Talking computers, each priced Rs.23,000, were distributed to 10 visually challenged individuals.
Autorickshaws were distributed to five women from economically backward families. A scheme to distribute study tables and chairs to students from the fishing community was also inaugurated. The distribution will be done at the ward level.
Nanma project
An amount of Rs.17 lakh was distributed to government and aided schools in the city, as scholarships for the differently abled. The second phase of the Rs.3-crore Nanma project for differently abled students was launched. A total of Rs.1.68 crore will be spent in this phase.
The Corporation gave away Rs.15,000 each to 20 newly married inter-caste couples. The new schemes were formulated by the Welfare, Education and Development Standing Committees of the local body. Mayor K. Chandrika inaugurated the event.
The distribution of welfare pensions in the Corporation is being shifted to the ‘Direct Benefit Transfer’ (DBT) mode from this month. The pensions include those for widows, elderly, differently abled, agricultural labourers and unmarried women aged above 50 years.
There have been apprehensions regarding this shift to the DBT as Aadhaar card was made mandatory for new registrations. “Several people without Aadhaar cards had to be turned away when they came with fresh applications. If the system is shifted entirely to DBT, from the existing money orders, at least 15-20 per cent beneficiaries will miss out. We have been going to houses to enrol people for Aadhaar card,” says Welfare Standing Committee Chairperson Palayam Rajan.
