FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
MARCOS GONSALVES
MARGAO: The COVID Relief scheme announced by the government recently has caused a major shortage of stamp papers of Rs 100 value in Salcete, besides other parts of the State for the last two months.
Herald revealed that nearly 45,000 to 50,000 of the stamp papers of Rs 100 value were sold in the last two months. Of these nearly 25,000 were sold in South Goa. The shortage has inconvenienced the stamp paper vendors as well as the public, as they are on the run to swear in the affidavits.
However, the officials of the Treasury Office in Margao and other places expect to receive the supply of stamp papers in the first week of December.
It is pertinent to note that the recently the government under the Department of Social Welfare had announced a COVID Relief scheme of Rs 5,000 to help the weaker section of the society, badly affected due to the pandemic. As per the scheme, the applicant has to submit the affidavit along with the application on stamp paper of Rs 100 value, as result a huge rush was witnessed to purchase stamp papers, leading to the massive shortage.
"I went to a vendor to buy the stamp paper of Rs 100, but to my shock the vendor said there was shortage for the last several days. With no other option I was forced to purchase stamp paper of Rs 500 value", said Shaikh Hussain, a resident of Margao.
When contacted a stamp papers vendor in the State’s commercial capital, he admitted to the shortage for the last two months.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the vendor said, “People have been coming for the stamp papers, but we are still waiting to receive the supply from the Government Treasury Office in Margao.”
"We are helpless. One thing is clear that there was huge demand for the stamp paper of Rs 100 value for the last two months from the public", he said.
Later Team Herald visited the Government Treasury Office in Margao and met staffer Santosh Naik, and upon inquiry he too admitted to the shortage of the above mentioned stamp papers.
He said there are over 40 stamp paper vendors in South Goa, and they receive the supply from the Government Treasury Office in Margao.
"Vendors from Canacona, Quepem, Sanguem, Vasco, Ponda and Margao receive the supply of stamp papers from Government Treasury Office in Margao, but we are short of stamp papers since the last two months'', he said.
Upon the inquiry it was revealed that there has been a stamp paper shortage of Rs 100 value since the announcement of COVID Relief Scheme by the State Government.
This office of government treasury has placed an order of nearly 80,000 stamp papers of Rs 100 value only for the South district. On the other hand, the printing of stamp papers of Rs 50 values has almost stopped. The supply of the stamp papers is received from the Nasik, and Goa expects to receive the stock in the first week of December.
