Punjab social justice minister urges Centre to release ₹583 crore for development projects

Punjab Social Justice, Empowerment, and Minorities Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur, while attending a high-level meeting in Delhi with the Union Minister and representatives from various States and Union Territories, highlighted Punjab’s unique challenges and called for key policy reforms to improve the welfare of Scheduled Castes (SCs).

Dr. Kaur praised the initiative, emphasizing that each state faces distinct issues and that such platforms allow them to voice their specific concerns effectively.

She pointed out that Punjab has an SC population of nearly 32%, which may have further increased. Given this demographic reality, she proposed raising the gap-filling fund under the Adarsh Gram Yojana from the current ₹20 lakh per project to at least ₹1 crore, citing that the existing allocation is insufficient for comprehensive infrastructure development, particularly road construction.

She also highlighted administrative challenges, noting that the Social Justice Department relies on the Rural Development Department to implement schemes, which leads to delays. To address this, she urged the Government of India to issue guidelines for setting up a dedicated technical unit at the district and state levels within the Social Justice Department to improve monitoring and implementation. Additionally, she requested an increase in administrative charges from the existing 4% to 10% to cover expenses related to these technical units and ensure the smooth execution of welfare programs.

Dr. Kaur emphasized the need for states to have autonomy in selecting villages for development projects, as they better understand local realities. She also called for expanding the scope of infrastructure projects, allowing states to decide on the type of development work required. Furthermore, she requested that administrative charges be released in advance for selected villages to facilitate early preparations.

Addressing concerns related to skill development projects, Dr. Kaur pointed out that these initiatives take time to implement. She stressed that the current requirement of utilizing 75% of the previous installment before new funds are released often causes delays. She urged the Government of India to relax this condition, especially during election periods when administrative processes tend to slow down.

Another major demand was increasing financial assistance for beneficiaries from ₹50,000 to ₹1,00,000, as the current amount is inadequate compared to other schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Employment Generation Scheme. Additionally, she proposed delinking financial assistance from the loan component, as many beneficiaries belong to economically weaker sections and often lack the collateral needed for loans.

Dr. Kaur also highlighted Punjab’s financial shortfall, stating that 3,293 villages were selected under the scheme, requiring a total of ₹684 crore. However, only ₹61 crore has been received from the Government of India, including ₹40 crore just two months ago, which limited the coverage to only 365 villages. She strongly urged the immediate release of the pending ₹583 crore to ensure the timely completion of ongoing development projects.

Expressing optimism, Dr. Baljit Kaur stated that she is confident the Government of India will positively consider these demands, ensuring inclusive growth and development for Scheduled Castes in Punjab.

She reaffirmed that the Punjab Government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, remains committed to uplifting marginalized communities and working tirelessly for their welfare.