Bihar Chief Minister (CM) Samrat Choudhary
By A Correspondent
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister (CM) Samrat Choudhary chaired a high-level review meeting of the Social Welfare Department at the Sankalp Hall in the Lok Sevak Awas complex.
During the meeting, Additional Chief Secretary of the department, H.R. Srinivas, presented an update on various schemes and programmes being implemented. He provided detailed information on the functioning of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), the Directorate of Social Security, the Directorate of Social Welfare, and the Women and Child Development Corporation.
Reviewing the progress, Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary directed officials to ensure that pensions under social security schemes are credited to beneficiaries’ accounts by the 10th of every month without any delay. He emphasised that services provided at Anganwadi centres must be closely monitored using technology to improve efficiency and accountability.
He further instructed that the presence of Anganwadi workers, helpers, and all targeted children should be ensured. “The better the functioning of Anganwadi centres, the better will be the development of children,” he remarked.
Highlighting key concerns, the Chief Minister said that reducing stunting and wasting among children remains a top priority for the state government. He called for the expansion of schemes such as the Parvarish Yojana and urged officials to bring more eligible beneficiaries under the ambit of social welfare programmes.
He also directed a fresh review to consider increasing the benefits provided under these schemes and instructed officials to expedite the process of filling vacant posts within the department. Additionally, he suggested exploring support through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives to strengthen the functioning of Anganwadi centres.
The Chief Minister stressed the need for regular and effective operation of all Anganwadi centres so that beneficiaries receive services on time. He also called for strict monitoring, transparency, and timely implementation of all welfare schemes to ensure that the benefits reach the weaker and marginalised sections of society.
“Public welfare work must be carried out with sensitivity, as it has the power to transform people’s lives,” he added.
The meeting was attended by Social Welfare Minister Shweta Gupta, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Deepak Kumar, Chief Secretary Pratyay Amrit, Development Commissioner Mihir Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary H.R. Srinivas, Secretaries to the Chief Minister Lokesh Kumar Singh and Sanjay Kumar Singh, Director of the Social Security Directorate Dharmendra Kumar, and other senior officials.
About the Author
