SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has added more than 7.3 lakh new beneficiaries across key financial inclusion schemes during the current financial year, with over 34 lakh unorganised workers now registered on the e-Shram portal and more than 9 lakh farmers already covered under the PM-Kisan scheme, officials said on Tuesday.
Against this backdrop, the government has set an internal target of enrolling at least 10 lakh workers under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) pension scheme, aimed at providing assured social security to unorganised sector workers in old age.
The data was reviewed at a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, which assessed the progress of public welfare and pension-linked schemes across Jammu and Kashmir, including PM-SYM and the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana (PM-KMY). The meeting was coordinated by the Finance Department and attended by senior officials and all Deputy Commissioners through video conferencing.
Officials said the enrolment drive during the current financial year has led to the addition of 1,69,713 new accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, 34,780 under the Atal Pension Yojana, 71,415 under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, and 4,57,522 under the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana.
During the review, the Chief Secretary directed district administrations to intensify field-level mobilisation for PM-SYM, including the constitution of Tehsil- and Block-level committees to improve outreach. He also emphasised the need for training frontline officials to familiarise them with the operational framework of the pension scheme.
The Labour and Employment Department was asked to launch an expanded Information, Education and Communication campaign, in coordination with CSC-SPV and the Information Department, to reach eligible beneficiaries across districts. Officials said workers aged 18 to 40 years engaged in unorganised occupations such as construction, street vending, handloom, brick kilns, mid-day meal services and similar sectors are eligible for enrolment.
The meeting was informed that beneficiaries contribute between Rs 55 and Rs 200 per month, depending on age, with a matching contribution from the Government of India, entitling them to a monthly pension of Rs 3,000 after the age of 60.
On the agricultural side, Deputy Commissioners were advised to use the PM-Kisan database to identify and enrol eligible marginal farmers under PM-KMY. Officials noted that a majority of farmers in Jammu and Kashmir own less than two hectares of land and fall within the eligibility criteria of the scheme.
The review also covered district-wise performance under financial inclusion programmes, with officials being asked to work towards saturation coverage. The Chief Secretary took note of incremental gains recorded by districts during the recent campaign period.
Separately, the meeting discussed the replication of Srinagar district’s e-Nigrani portal for monitoring the Constituency Development Fund, aimed at end-to-end digital tracking of works. Issues relating to circle rates across districts, their comparison with other states, and the need for rationalisation to improve revenue and reduce leakages were also taken up.
