SRINAGAR: Despite disbursing Rs 166.90 crore to over 2.5 lakh beneficiaries under labour welfare schemes in the current financial year, active worker registration remains significantly low, prompting Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to direct departments to intensify coverage efforts and improve outreach under social inclusion programmes.
Chairing a high-level review meeting today, the Chief Minister emphasised the need for immediate expansion of beneficiary registration, particularly under schemes managed by the Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Welfare Board. He said the gap between funds disbursed and active registrations indicates the need for a more aggressive push towards enrolment and awareness.
The meeting, attended by Advisor to CM Nasir Aslam Wani, Additional Chief Secretary Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary Finance Santosh D. Vaidya, Administrative Secretaries, and Deputy Commissioners, also reviewed GST collections, revenue generation, district Capex implementation, and progress of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
During the presentation, it was revealed that while schemes such as PM Jan Dhan Yojana, PM Suraksha Bima Yojana, PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, and Atal Pension Yojana have seen substantial enrolment — with over 23 lakh PMJDY accounts and nearly 9.83 lakh individuals under PMJJBY — coverage under other welfare programmes remains inconsistent.
The Chief Minister expressed concern over the “tardy pace” of uploading and tendering of district and CDF works, and issued instructions for monthly monitoring of progress instead of last-quarter corrections. “Departments must not wait for February and March to chase revenue targets. A monthly revenue plan is essential,” he said, adding that departments would receive specific communications outlining a six-month breakdown of targets.
Deputy Commissioners were asked to probe the causes behind the recent drop in enrolments under central social security schemes and were told to prepare for a follow-up review within three months. Omar Abdullah also directed that MLAs be briefed about which works from pre-budget consultations have been included or dropped from the District Capex and UT plans.
He cautioned departments that delays in revenue mobilisation could lead to curbs in expenditure, underlining that fiscal discipline was non-negotiable. “The responsibility lies with each department to ensure timely progress,” he said.
