GUWAHATI, June 10 - Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today mooted the idea of trifurcating the Social Welfare Department into three directorates to ensure proper development, said an official press release here.
Chairing a review meeting of the Social Welfare Department here today Sonowal asked the Additional Chief Secretary to prepare a proposal to facilitate creation of three directorates for the welfare of women, children and for specially challenged persons under the department.
To add teeth and help the department to live up to its mandate, Sonowal also exhorted the need of taking up more welfare-oriented schemes by the department. In sync with the schemes of the Centre, Sonowal also emphasised on taking schemes which will be force-multiplier for social development. �The need of the hour is to lend more transparency and accountability to help the department to render its services effectively for the welfare of women, children and specially challenged persons,� Sonowal added.
To bring in more transparency in the procurement and distribution of its services, Sonowal directed the department to go �online� and take recourse to �e-tendering�. The department has also been asked to take more measures against gender-based discrimination.
The Chief Minister sought performance reports of the 230 Integrated Child Development Schemes (ICDS) and 62,158 Anganwadi Centres active in the State and called for an exhaustive approach for a comprehensive development of children and pregnant women.
He also directed the department to take up the execution part of all the schemes on a mission mode. Moreover, the 164 schemes being undertaken by the voluntary organisations have to be monitored to assess their effectiveness, he added.
The Chief Minister was informed that the State has received Rs 527 crore under the ICDS and Rs 336 crore under the Special Nutrition Project and top priorities have been accorded for their early completion.
Additional Chief Secretary TY Das, Principal Secretary of Social Welfare Department Hemanta Narzary and a host of other top officials were present at the meeting.
