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Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reviewed the functioning of the Social Welfare Department and directed officials to design all welfare schemes keeping in mind not only present-day requirements but also the challenges and needs of the next 25 years.
He said the schemes should remain effective over time and serve as "best practice" models for other states. The Chief Minister instructed officials to ensure that the construction of Babu Jagjivan Ram Boys' Hostel at Doiwala (Dehradun), Babu Jagjivan Ram Boys' Hostel at Paines (Nainital), and Babu Jagjivan Ram Girls' Hostel at Someshwar (Almora) is completed by October so that Scheduled Caste students can soon benefit from improved residential and educational facilities. He also directed officials to integrate welfare schemes and ensure efficient financial management and optimal utilisation of resources during implementation and construction, a release said. The Chief Minister further instructed that eligible citizens should be automatically brought under the Old Age Pension scheme upon attaining the age of 60, eliminating unnecessary procedural delays and ensuring timely pension benefits. During the meeting at the Chief Minister's residence auditorium, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami transferred the June 2026 pension instalments under various Social Welfare Department schemes through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) "One-Click" system. A total of 980,950 beneficiaries received approximately Rs 145.42 crore directly into their bank accounts. Of this, the Central Government contributed around 7.02 crore, while the State Government contributed approximately 138.40 crore. Of the total amount disbursed in June 2026, 91.69 crore was provided to 611,245 Old Age Pension beneficiaries, 35.38 crore to 235,850 Widow Pension beneficiaries, 13.32 crore to 88,787 Divyang (Persons with Disabilities) Pension beneficiaries, 3.26 crore to 27,207 Farmer Pension beneficiaries, 99.10 lakh to 8,258 Destitute Women Pension beneficiaries, 51.08 lakh to 7,297 Maintenance Grant beneficiaries, 26.15 lakh to 2,179 Teelu Rauteli Pension beneficiaries, and 1.52 lakh to 127 Dwarf Pension beneficiaries. The meeting also reviewed the Babu Jagjivan Ram Hostel Scheme, which aims to provide hostel facilities for Scheduled Caste students pursuing secondary, higher, and university-level education. Under the scheme, the Central Government provides financial assistance of up to 3.25 lakh per student, while the State Government supplements the funding through a top-up grant, wherever required, to ensure the construction of modern and high-quality hostels. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, "Our government's objective is not merely to launch welfare schemes but to establish a sustainable and effective system that meets the needs of future generations as well. Social security, education, and dignity are the rights of every eligible citizen. Uttarakhand will develop a model of good governance that inspires other states across the country to adopt similar practices." (ANI)
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