Complying with the World Bank’s (WB) condition for sanctioning the Rs 15,242 crore UP Development Policy Loan (UPDPL), the state government has agreed to set up a Social Safety Nets Authority (SSNA) to monitor the implementation of welfare schemes in the state.

The schemes under the SSNA include scholarships to SCs, STs, OBCs and students of minority community, old-age pension, widow pension, special financial assistance to SCs and poor. Later, the public distribution system is also likely to be added to the list.

The bank has imposed several conditions on the state like structural and governance reforms and overall reforms in implementation of social welfare programmes for the grant of the UPDPL. Social Welfare Commissioner RK Mittal said: “ The WB has imposed a condition of setting up the SSNA for the loan. The government has issued an order for the formation of the authority, which shows that we subscribe to the idea.” The authority will ensure better implementation of welfare programmes and cut the red tape, he added.

The SSNA governing body will be headed by the state chief secretary and its daily functioning will be conducted by an independent Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to be headed by an executive director, who would be a renowned expert.

To ensure that the authority functions in a professional manner and is not reduced to another government-controlled body, the WB has laid the condition that the TAG will function as an independent body, whose recommendations will be implemented by the governing body.

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