SATURDAY, MAY 04, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government is in its final stage of completing scrutiny of payments made under anti-inflation Griha Aadhar Scheme.
As many as 10,000 illegal beneficiaries were identified until December 2019. All of whom were issued show-cause notice and action initiated accordingly.
The ongoing survey was hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic followed by lockdown. However, the drive resumed weeks back. Reliable sources in the Department of Women and Child Development said that survey report will soon be submitted to the government.
“Survey is in final stage and a report will be ready shortly. It will be submitted to the government for further action,” the source said.
The last survey saw 10,000-odd fake beneficiaries availing the benefit. The department, upon their identification, had issued show-cause notice followed by personal hearing. Recovery from some illegal beneficiaries soon began.
“The illegal recipients of the scheme are returning the amount. We have received a number of cheques from them,” the source added.
The scheme was supposed to cover 1.5 lakh beneficiaries but it already exceeded its limit wherein illegal beneficiaries constituted a considerable number. As the illegal beneficiaries are being omitted from the government list, the genuine applicants are accommodated.
Wives of government servants, government employees and those whose family’s annual income is more than Rs three lakh are not entitled to be covered under the scheme.
In July 2019, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane had informed the Goa Legislative Assembly that after a proper survey on the Griha Aadhar Scheme, government found around 20,000 fake beneficiaries.
The scheme was introduced by former chief minister late Manohar Parrikar in 2013 with an aim to off-set the impact created due to price rise and to provide support to housewives from middle, lower and poor sections of the society.
