All posts tagged: welfare schemes

State to launch ‘MahaSarathi’ for simplified access to govt schemes

State to launch ‘MahaSarathi’ for simplified access to govt schemes

Published by Parlour News

Mumbai: In a move to simplify access to welfare schemes and cut down on paperwork, the Maharashtra government is set to launch ‘MahaSarathi’, a unified citizen database, likely on May 1. The Aadhaar-linked platform is designed to ensure benefits reach the right people while preventing misuse of government funds. State to launch ‘MahaSarathi’ for simplified access to govt schemes Earlier known as ‘Golden Data,’ the database aims to significantly improve the delivery of welfare benefits by integrating all state and central government schemes. Chief Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal reviewed the project following a cabinet meeting and confirmed that the system is ready for operations. Citizens will need to register once, create a MahaID and upload documents. Once verified and linked with Aadhaar, their data will be stored permanently, eliminating the need to submit the same documents repeatedly for different schemes. The database will include details such as income, caste, education, family information and benefits received. Officials said this will help departments quickly verify eligibility and weed out ineligible beneficiaries. “This is especially beneficial for students applying …

Parliament panel flags budget cuts, fund under-utilisation in marginalised groups’ schemes| India News

Parliament panel flags budget cuts, fund under-utilisation in marginalised groups’ schemes| India News

Published by Parlour News

The Parliamentary standing committee on social justice and empowerment has flagged concerns over budget cuts, under-utilisation of funds, and implementation gaps across ministries responsible for welfare schemes for minorities, tribals, persons with disabilities, and other marginalised groups. Parliament committee raises alarm over budget cuts The 31-member committee, chaired by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker P. C. Mohan, said in its report on the demands for grants of the ministry of minority affairs for 2026-27 that the ministry had proposed a budget allocation of ₹4,758.37 crore for various schemes but received only ₹3,400 crore from the ministry of finance — about 28.5% less than the proposed amount. The committee also highlighted cuts in Waqf-related schemes. The ministry had proposed ₹50.01 crore for the Qaumi Waqf Boards Taraqquiti Scheme and the Sahari Waqf Sampati Vikas Yojana but was allocated only ₹32 crore — a reduction of about 36%. Between 2023-24 and 2025-26, the schemes had a budget estimate of ₹46 crore, which was later revised downward to ₹24.6 crore, while actual spending amounted to only ₹12.28 crore. …

Delhi: Welfare push marks BJP’s 1st year in power

Delhi: Welfare push marks BJP’s 1st year in power

Published by Parlour News

A year after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed power in Delhi following its decisive victory in the 2025 assembly elections, a review of its 16 key election manifesto promises shows swift progress on welfare schemes but considerably slower movement on institutional reforms and anti-corruption investigations. Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta. (PTI) An assessment of the promises indicates six commitments have been implemented in near-entirety, five are partially implemented, and five remain pending or at the policy formulation stage. The pattern reflects a government that has prioritised visible, household-level economic support while structural governance changes proceed at a more cautious pace. Welfare schemes see rapid implementation The government moved quickest on direct welfare measures requiring budgetary allocation, particularly in health, education and transport sectors where implementation mechanisms already existed. One of its first decisions was to adopt the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat scheme with a ₹5 lakh state-funded top-up, doubling insurance coverage to ₹10 lakh per beneficiary family. The move, cleared in the first cabinet meeting, marked a major expansion of publicly funded health coverage in …

New Rules Decide Who Gets Rabi Funds And Who Doesn’t

New Rules Decide Who Gets Rabi Funds And Who Doesn’t

Published by Webster

With the arrival of the monsoon season, agricultural activities in Telangana have picked up pace once again. As the monsoon crops are harvested, farmers have resumed their cultivation work. In this context, fresh information has emerged regarding the state government’s ‘Rythu Bharosa’ funds. It appears that the government has taken an important decision concerning the disbursement policy for the Rabi season. According to official information, significant changes will be introduced in the policy for allocating funds to farmers this time. The government has finalised its decision to release support funds strictly on the basis of cultivated land. In other words, funds will be deposited only for the acres that are actually under cultivation. The assessment of land will be carried out entirely through a satellite-based mapping system. During a review meeting held on November 26, Minister of Agriculture Thummala Nageswara Rao instructed officials to immediately implement satellite imagery technology. He emphasised the need to accurately identify the cultivated area for each farmer using advanced satellite photographs and videos. The Rythu Bharosa funds will be released …

Mounting govt arrears trigger cash crunch for contractors

Mounting govt arrears trigger cash crunch for contractors

Published by Parlour News

MUMBAI: Welfare sops and pre-poll freebies have squeezed the state’s finances, stalling payments to private contractors executing government schemes. Their pending dues are now ₹77,770 crore. Mounting govt arrears trigger cash crunch for contractors Sameer Shaikh from Ahilyanagar was awarded a ₹20-lakh contract to build a gram panchayat office but, for six months, he’s been struggling to get the project off the ground as he’s unable to raise fresh capital. Shaikh is still owed ₹86.50 lakh for earlier projects under various government departments. Shaikh is one of thousands of small and medium contractors whose outstanding payments with the government are holding them back from working on future contracts. While the bill in outstanding dues was a colossal ₹89,000 crore until March, it has fallen marginally, to ₹77,770 crore, as the government released ₹11,400 crore with local body elections around the corner. For most contractors, it’s made no difference. For most of them, 80% of their bills are yet to be cleared but the government simply cannot afford to pay them right now. The problem was …

Karnataka seeks release of Rs 4,195 crore for centrally sponsored schemes | Bangalore News

Karnataka seeks release of Rs 4,195 crore for centrally sponsored schemes | Bangalore News

Published by Parlour News

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said Wednesday that the Karnataka government will urge elected MPS from the state to pressure the Central government to release its share of Rs 4,195 crore allocated to centrally sponsored schemes (CSS), which has been pending for the 2024-25 fiscal. He was speaking following a meeting of the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) held to review the implementation of CSS in the state. For the 2024-25 fiscal, the total expenditure on CSS was Rs 46,859 crore, of which the Centre’s share was Rs 22,758 crore and state’s share Rs 24,101 crore. “However, the Centre has released only Rs 18,562 crore; the remaining amount of around Rs 4,000 crore is yet to be released by the Centre,” he said, pointing out that the state was spending more than the Centre to finance the 67 CSS. Story continues below this ad The CM said that during the 2024-25 fiscal year, due to the delay in the Central government’s release of funds, only 83 per cent of the total funds allocated for these …

Chintan Shivir on social justice and empowerment begins in Dehradun

Chintan Shivir on social justice and empowerment begins in Dehradun

Published by Parlour News

Dehradun, The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on Monday inaugurated a two-day Chintan Shivir here bringing together key stakeholders from across the country to deliberate on policymaking, review welfare schemes and strengthen Centre-State partnerships to ensure social justice for the marginalised communities in India. Chintan Shivir on social justice and empowerment begins in Dehradun The event was inaugurated by Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar along with Union Ministers of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale and B L Verma in the presence of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. In addition, 23 Ministers in charge of Social Justice and Empowerment from various states also attended the Shivir which will conclude on Tuesday. In his inaugural address, Virendra Kumar said national development is impossible without social equity. The Chintan Shivir is not merely a review meeting but a mission-oriented platform for “constructive dialogue” “ideation” and the exchange of “best practices” to assess the efforts of the Ministry towards “Viksit Bharat”. The goal is to ensure that every citizen, regardless …

‘Social security protection now covers 48% of Indians’: ILO | Latest News India

‘Social security protection now covers 48% of Indians’: ILO | Latest News India

Published by Parlour News

New estimates by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) put India’s total social-security coverage at 48.8%, compared to 24% earlier, a revision based on updated data provided by the Union government about welfare schemes for workers in the formal sector, including their families, Union labour minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday. ‘Social security protection now covers 48% of Indians’ The labour ministry had carried out a “data-pooling exercise” in collaboration with the UN agency for a comprehensive assessment of all social schemes available to organised-sector workers, many of which were not being captured in international evaluations since they are scattered and some are implemented by states, the minister said. The ILO primarily considers insurance, healthcare facilities, pensions, maternity, disability and unemployment benefits financed either through contribution from wages or public investment as social-protection measures. “We are of the view that 48.8% is still an underestimation. In-kind benefits, such as free food to 80 crore (800 million) people, are not counted as social protection. However, there are UN benchmarks that consider in-kind benefits such as food and …

62% of welfare scheme funds not utilised by UTs, states in ’24: Govt | Latest News India

62% of welfare scheme funds not utilised by UTs, states in ’24: Govt | Latest News India

Published by Parlour News

New Delhi Of the ₹2.46 lakh crore released by the Centre for over 50 major schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, about 62% or approximately ₹1.54 lakh crore remained idle with state agencies as of December 31, government data showed. ₹500 crore and above. (ANI PHOTO)” title=”For the first time, the Union budget for 2025-26 contained a new statement that shows fund balance under single nodal agency (SNA) accounts with state and Union territories with respect to select centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) of ₹500 crore and above. (ANI PHOTO)” /> ₹500 crore and above. (ANI PHOTO)” title=”For the first time, the Union budget for 2025-26 contained a new statement that shows fund balance under single nodal agency (SNA) accounts with state and Union territories with respect to select centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) of ₹500 crore and above. (ANI PHOTO)” />For the first time, the Union budget for 2025-26 contained a new statement that shows fund balance under single nodal agency (SNA) accounts …

Not just welfare schemes, Delhi voters looked for more | Political Pulse News

Not just welfare schemes, Delhi voters looked for more | Political Pulse News

Published by Parlour News

The popular perception that the welfare schemes proposed by the BJP and AAP eventually determined the outcome of the Delhi Assembly elections is not entirely incorrect. It is true that welfarism emerged as a decisive electoral issue, with the BJP relying on civic concerns and public delivery and the AAP trying to evoke its past performance, especially in education and health. This competitive welfarism, however, cannot be exaggerated to draw a simple conclusion that the BJP’s guarantees were more substantial and reassuring. The vote distribution between the BJP (45.5%) and AAP (43.5%) clearly shows that the electoral battle was not entirely about who brings what. Instead, voters were looking for political resolve to address fundamental economic issues. The CSDS-Lokniti survey, broadly speaking, captures two core features of this. Story continues below this ad First, that Delhi voters take the idea of “labharthi (beneficiary)” very seriously. It seems they looked at the promised policy packages carefully and made a realistic assessment of the proposed mechanism to deliver these policies. Table 1 clearly shows that an overwhelming …