By Aires Rodrigues.
The Chief Secretary of Goa Mr. B.Vijayan has today been served a legal notice for non payment of Dayanand Social Security benefits since June this year to all the 1,20,000 beneficiaries. It has been demanded that all arrears to the beneficiaries be paid within 24 hours and thatfurther payments be made promptly on the first of every month.
The Dayanand Social Security scheme was launched by the Goa Governmentin 2001 as an initiative under “Freedom from Hunger” project. The beneficiaries which include 80,000 Senior Citizens, 30,000 widows and 10,000 disabled citizens are all without benefits from June this year despite this monthly monetary benefit being the only source of income and sustenance for these poor downtrodden beneficiaries.
This blatant wanton neglect of this poorest and unprivileged section of society is despicable and unjustified. The welfare and well being of the poorest should have been the paramount priority of any government. It is intriguing that the government despite being unable to pay benefits in time to these beneficiaries is contemplating other welfare schemes and also taking several populist decisions having afinancial impact. A clear paradox..Unless the government is able to adequately implement existing schemes, any attempt to launch otherwelfare schemes would be inappropriate and undesirable.
It is apparent that the 1,20,000 beneficiaries under the Dayanand Social Security Scheme have not been paid from June due to the financial crunch the State exchequer faces. It would be very appropriate for the government to adopt rigorous austerity measuresand stop squandering money on unnecessary expenditure.
All wasteful expenditure must stop. Unnecessarily 11 lakhs was spenton the swearing in ceremony of the current government held on 9th March. Lakhs are going down the drain on the four MLAs who are now on a joy ride to the United Kingdom at tax payer’s expense. All this while the Goa Government had no money to pay monthly benefits under the Dayanand Social Security scheme to the financially distressed Senior citizens, widows and the disabled
Non payment of monthly benefits under the Dayanand Social Security scheme is surprising and reflects the sordid state of affairs. Inpublic interest it would be appropriate to move the Bombay High Courtat Goa for appropriate orders if immediate steps are not taken by theGoa Government to pay the DSS beneficiaries all the pending arrearsand further benefits on the first of every month.
No comments:
Post a Comment