The Delhi High Court today sought the stand of the city government on a plea seeking implementation of its Ladli Scheme meant to enhance the social status of the girl child by ensuring their education & economic security.
A bench of Chief Justices Satish Chandra Sharma and Subramonium Prasad asked the Delhi government counsel to seek instructions on the PIL which claimed funds to the tune of ₹364 crore under the scheme were lying unclaimed with authorities.
In his plea, Aakash Goel (petitioner), contended that more than Rs364 crore belonging to 1,82,894 Ladli Scheme beneficiaries aged above 21 are lying with the State Bank of India and this amount should be rightfully expended.
The plea filed through lawyers Vibhor Garg & Keshav Tiwari stated that “The Government of NCT of Delhi launched the Delhi Ladli Scheme on 01.01.2008 which covers all 11 districts of the NCT of Delhi.
The respondent is the implementing authority for the scheme. The aim of the scheme was to enhance the social status of the girl child in society as well in the family, ensuring proper education to make the girls self-reliant, ensuring her economic security by depositing Rs 1,00,000 in her bank account by the time she attains the age of 18 and protecting them from discrimination and deprivation.”
The petition added that a “Substantial amount of public money is being allocated for the implementation of the said scheme but same remains unutilized and thus the beneficiaries who are entitled and have applied for the said scheme needs to be identified, if not identified yet, and the money needs to be disbursed to persons entitled to the same.”
Therefore, the petition submitted that the process for availing the benefits of the Ladli scheme is complex and requires various documents which a person belongs to a poor household that may or may not have ration card, voter ID etc., and also requires re-registration at various stages, besides many other requirements.
Also, the plea claimed that the number of girl child receiving the benefits under the scheme has been reduced substantially year by year.
The court listed the matter for further hearing in August.
