28 Oct 2020  |   05:40am IST

Police restrain Congress workers from entering Dept of Women and Child office

They were protesting the delay in the release of financial benefit under the Griha Aadhar and Laadli Laxmi scheme

Team Herald

PANJIM: The police on Tuesday restrained the protesting Congress party workers from entering the Department of Women and Child office, where they had marched demanding the immediate release of financial benefit under the Griha Aadhar and Laadli Laxmi scheme.

Several Congress workers led by general secretary Sankalp Amonkar, Amarnath Panjikar, Janardhan Bhandari had marched to the office of the Department of Women and Child to call on Director Deepali Naik; who was however, not available. 

A large police force was put in place to stop the protesting congress workers from entering the department. The congress workers however claimed that they had come with a peaceful protest to raise the people’s grievance. 

Speaking to media persons, Amonkar said that the monthly financial benefit under Griha Aadhar scheme has not been released since April, whereas the applications of Laadli Laxmi scheme, wherein Rs one lakh is given to girl child, have not been cleared in the last six months. 

“We requested police to allow our delegation to meet the Director or deputy director. But we were informed that both are not available,” he said adding “it is shame that officers are not present in the government departments”. 

Amonkar added that in the current pandemic, the government should have made efforts to ensure that monthly financial benefit of Rs 1,500 is made available to the women. “The government is bankrupt,” he charged. 

Congress had last week called on the Director of the Social Welfare department over the non-release of payment under Deen Dayal Social Security Scheme (DDSSY). 

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on October 21 announced to release Rs 45.3 crore to the beneficiaries of DDSSY and Griha Aadhar for the month of April.