Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday announced that all the current welfare schemes of the Delhi government will be reviewed to ensure that only the truly deserving avail of them, and ineligible beneficiaries are removed.
Gupta said that her dispensation is committed to helping the poor and the elderly, and those who receive financial support from the government.
She also informed that the process of issuing digital ID cards to persons with disabilities will begin soon.
Hitting out at the previous dispensation, the CM alleged that it had cheated the deprived section of society, and the current government will ensure such schemes are not misused any longer.
Gupta on Monday chaired a high-level meeting at the Delhi Secretariat, attended by senior officials from the Department of Social Welfare and the Department for the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The meeting focused on reviewing ongoing schemes designed to uplift economically and socially marginalised communities in the national capital.
Gupta stated that the government is not only providing financial assistance, but also extending support in the form of rehabilitation, skill development, education, and other essential welfare services to those belonging to the marginalised sections.
The CM reviewed several key welfare schemes aimed at supporting vulnerable sections of society.
According to Gupta, the Financial Assistance for Senior Citizens scheme provides monthly aid to individuals aged 60 and above, particularly those from SC/ST communities or economically weaker sections.
Depending on their age, eligible beneficiaries receive between Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,500 per month, and over four lakh individuals have already benefited from the initiative.
Another initiative is the Assistance to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) scheme, under which individuals with severe disabilities who are unable to support themselves receive Rs 2,500 per month. So far, around 1.34 lakh people have benefited from this support.
Similarly, the Delhi Family Benefit Scheme (DFBS) offers a one-time financial assistance of Rs 20,000 to families who have lost their primary breadwinner, and approximately 1,100 dependents have been supported through this initiative.
The CM has instructed officials to take proactive measures to strengthen the implementation of these schemes and ensure greater transparency and accountability.
The meeting also addressed key issues, such as delays in disability certification, rehabilitation of persons involved in begging, and the digitisation of beneficiary data.
Gupta has directed the departments to resolve these challenges and present a clear action plan for better coordination and service delivery.
Taking a dig at the previous government, she pointed to alleged irregularities in the disbursement of widow pensions during the former administration’s tenure.
Gupta said, “Many ineligible women were granted pensions without any scrutiny. Our government will not allow such malpractice.”