Institutes for disadvantaged students, skill development figure in Delhi budget

From dedicated coaching institutes for students from the SC/ST communities and clear competitive examinations after class 12 to coming up with rehabilitation and skill development programmes for the underprivileged, the Delhi government proposed a budget outlay of Rs 3,429 crore for the betterment of social security and welfare.

Finance minister Manish Sisodia said his government is planning to offer home delivery of ration under government’s doorstep delivery programme.

“This proposal has got a cabinet approval but it cannot be implemented because of hurdles created in our work from all ends. From officers to the lieutenant-governor, there have been problems thrown at us from all levels, but we are determined to implement these schemes,” Sisodia said. He proposed to increase the margin money of ration for shopkeepers from Rs 70 per quintal to Rs 200 per quintal.

The budget proposed a fixed deposit scheme for differently-abled students at each stage of educational attainment. A new scheme for providing financial assistance to differently abled parents was also proposed, which will provide help in getting their daughters married.

Sanjay Kumar, co-director of Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan, a shelter rights campaign group in Delhi, said that just conceptualizing and announcing welfare schemes for disadvantaged sections will not help until measures are taken to get people to benefit from these. He said there was a major gap in participation and engagement in these schemes.