PUNJAB BUDGET PRO-POOR & DEVELOPMENT ORIENTED: SADHU SINGH DHARAMSOT

CHANDIGARH, FEBRUARY 18, 2019: The Social Justice, Empowerment & Minorities Minister, Punjab, Mr.Sadhu Singh Dharamsot has termed the budget presented today by the Finance Minister, Mr.Manpreet Singh Badal as pro-Poor, SC/BC and Minority apart from being development oriented.
Terming the budget as realistic, futuristic and taking care of the aspirations of all the sections of the society, Mr. Dharamsot said that the Captain Government is well aware of the needs of the weaker and deprived sections of the society. He also said that the State Government in a giant step towards the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes and Minorities has kept reserve an amount of Rs.1228 crore for the year 2019-2020 which would be utilized in running the educationally, socially and economically welfare schemes.
Mr.Dharamsot further said that the Aashirwad scheme for SC, BC, Christian girls, widows of any caste/divorcees, the budgetary provision of Rs. 100 crore for the Aashirwad Scheme for the year 2019-2020 is praiseworthy.
Lauding the Finance Minister for providing funds with regard to various developmental works as well as the welfare schemes, Mr. Dharamsot said that in the new budget Rs. 938.71 crore have been kept for the Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes category students under the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme.
Under the scheme, a sum of `30.00 crore has been earmarked for providing basic minimum services like education, health, water supply, sanitation and disposal of sludge water and upgradation of infrastructure facilities in SC concentrated villages.
During 2019-20, 100 lakh plants under Green Punjab Mission and 50 lakh plants under other schemes shall be supplied free of cost to various farmers, schools, religious and charitable institutions. Further, on the auspicious occasion of 550th Parkash Utsav of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, 550 saplings will planted in each village of the state.