Rs584m set aside for social welfare, Bait-ul-Maal

LAHORE

The Punjab government has allocated Rs584 million for Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Maal in the provincial budget 2016-17 showing 10 percent increase from the last year’s allocations. 

The focus of development schemes is on building shelter homes for neglected women, old age homes for aged, children homes, beggar homes, Violence Against Women Centres (VAWC) and District Industrial Homes (Sanatzars) etc. in different cities for the welfare of vulnerable groups, including women, destitute, senior citizens, children and less privileged people.  The major part of the proposed Rs584 million allocation for 2016-17 will be utilised for establishment of Qasr-e-Bahboods in various districts of Punjab and establishment of Survivors of Violence Against Women Centres (VAWC). During FY 2016-17, the department will implement 19 new schemes. These schemes include construction of buildings of Shelter Homes, establishment of Mini Sanatzars, expansion of VAWCs, establishment of Beggars Home, establishment of Dastkari schools and research study/situational analysis of ex-sex workers and their rehabilitation mechanism. An amount of Rs1,000 million has been earmarked for the poverty alleviation programmes of Punjab Social Protection Authority.

Targets and Major Initiatives of the department fixed for 2016-2017 include: Establishment of Mini Sanatzar at Pasroor (Sialkot) & Taunsa (DG Khan), Establishment of Beggars Home at Faisalabad & Multan, Construction of Building of Shelter homes at Multan, Lodhran, Pakpattan, Kasur, Layyah, Hafizabad, Sheikhupura and Narowal, Expansion of VAWC by upgrading the existing Dar-ul-Amans & Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women Crisis Centres in Bahawalpur and Rawalpindi, establishment of four Dastkari schools in Lahore. 

The highest allocation in the budget for the ongoing schemes is Rs120.584 million which goes for the establishment of Center for survivors of violence against women (VAWC) in Multan, while the second largest allocation of Rs87.298 million goes to establishment of Qasr-e-Behbood at Fasialabad, Siddiqabad Chak 224 RB.  The largest allocation for new schemes is for construction of mini Sanatzar at Pasrur, Sialkot with Rs25 million while the second largest allocation in new schemes goes for building of shelter home in Layyah with Rs24.446 million.