Lucknow, May 28 -- The Uttar Pradesh government is set to simplify and strengthen its social welfare schemes following a review meeting that stressed faster and easier delivery of benefits to deprived sections of society. A meeting of the Standing Committee on Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Welfare and Social Welfare was held on Wednesday at Bhagidari Bhawan in Gomti Nagar under the chairmanship of Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Social Welfare Asim Arun. Public representatives from several assembly constituencies and senior officials attended the meeting, where progress of key departmental schemes was reviewed. Special focus was given to the Dr Ambedkar Statue Site Development Plan, while officials also discussed implementation challenges and sought feedback from grassroots representatives to address bottlenecks in welfare delivery. Representatives raised issues related to pending applications under the Old Age Pension and National Family Benefit schemes. They also sought an increase in the income ceiling for scholarship eligibility and better facilities, including electricity supply, in departmental hostels. A major proposal discussed during the meeting was decentralising the sanction process for the Chief Minister's Mass Marriage Scheme and scholarship schemes to the block level to reduce delays and improve access for beneficiaries. Speaking after the meeting, Asim Arun said the government is committed to ensuring hassle-free delivery of welfare benefits. "The government is committed to ensuring that the benefits of these schemes reach every eligible individual without any hindrance. Based on the suggestions received from the public representatives, our policies will be further refined to make them more practical and accessible," he said. Officials said the exercise forms part of the state government's broader effort to make welfare delivery more responsive, transparent and people-centric....