Jammu, Aug 3: In a major initiative to strengthen social protection for migrant families, the Relief & Rehabilitation Organization, in coordination with the Department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs and the Social Welfare Department, has launched the process of integrating nearly 50,000 migrant families into the National Food Security Act (NFSA) database.
The initiative is aimed at transforming the migrant ration card from a food entitlement document into a gateway for accessing a wider range of government welfare schemes, while ensuring that existing food entitlements, recognized migrant status and relief benefits remain unchanged.
Officials said the exercise is being carried out in accordance with the Government’s policy framework, including S.O. 389 dated September 16, 2021, and S.O. 392 and S.O. 393, both issued on August 13, 2024.
As part of the ongoing exercise, more than 3,000 migrant families have already been assisted through door-to-door outreach, e-KYC facilitation and field-level coordination. The integration into the national database has improved access to various social welfare schemes, including pensions, healthcare and financial assistance.
According to official figures, authorities have verified and sanctioned 1,625 old-age pensions, 114 widow pensions and 88 disability pensions. Assistance has also been approved in two cases under the State Marriage Assistance Scheme (SMAS), while two persons with disabilities have been provided tricycles.
Officials said the integration has also enabled eligible beneficiaries to access schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, student scholarships and marriage assistance.
To ensure wider coverage, a month-long outreach and awareness campaign has been launched from August 3 to August 31 across migrant camps, zones and other locations in Jammu and Udhampur.
The special camps are being organised under the overall supervision of Relief & Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrants), Dr. Arvind Karwani. Common Service Centre (CSC) operators have been deployed at all camp locations to provide free assistance in completing online applications for eligible government schemes.
The Relief & Rehabilitation Organization said the initiative is intended to take social security benefits directly to eligible migrant families and ensure that no deserving beneficiary is left out of the welfare net.
