DEHRADUN, May 7 -- Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday ordered officials in the state social welfare department to adopt innovative approaches and best practices in governance and share successful models with other departments. He also instructed officials to establish communication with elderly citizens and pension beneficiaries through call centres so that their concerns and grievances can be addressed more effectively. The orders were given at a meeting where he also released April pension payments under various welfare schemes. Under the initiative, a total amount of Rs.111 crore was transferred directly into the bank accounts of 7,56,682 beneficiaries covered under fully state-funded pension schemes run by the Social Welfare Department. These include pensions for the elderly, widows, persons with disabilities, farmers, abandoned women, maintenance grants, the Tilu Rauteli Pension Scheme and financial assistance for individuals with dwarfism. Addressing officials , Dhami said the government was committed to the principle of Antyodaya and was making sustained effort to strengthen social security for economically weaker and vulnerable sections of society. He added that the state government has been organising special camps across districts to ensure that every eligible individual receives the benefits of social welfare schemes. Officials said more than 60,000 new beneficiaries are being enrolled under various pension schemes of the department every year. The chief minister also directed officials to conduct surveys of individuals who are about to turn 59 years old each year. He added that their applications and required documentation should be completed in advance so that eligible beneficiaries can begin receiving pension benefits immediately after attaining the age of 60. Dhami also emphasised the need to review and rationalise the annual income criteria of pension schemes to ensure that benefits reach a larger number of deserving beneficiaries. He also instructed officials to ensure that information related to all pension schemes and other welfare initiatives of the department is made available at a single, centralised platform to make it easier for people to access details and apply for benefits. State social welfare ,inister Khajan Das said the department, under the leadership of the chief minister, was working to ensure that no needy person is left out of the ambit of welfare schemes. He added that the department is maintaining transparency and accountability in the implementation of pension programmes. Among those present on the occasion were Principal Secretary RK Sudhanshu, Secretary Shailesh Bagauli, Additional Secretary Banshidhar Tiwari, Director of Social Welfare . Sandeep Tiwari, and Additional Secretary (Social Welfare) Prakash Chandra, along with other officials of the department....