SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2024
PRATIK PARAB
Margao: Senior citizens, elderly ladies and others, kindly take note. While the South Goa Social Welfare office is meant for you and your needs, please be informed that the office itself is in need of help and welfare if it has to look after your welfare.
Currently, it is just a post office sending applications and papers to Panjim. The South Goa office is scantily staffed and has a Deputy Director who has been helplessly handling this office and his additional charge. The contact details and the traces of this office in Margao on the Social Welfare web portal are misleading.
The Social Welfare Department Office was opened in the South Goa Collectorate in 2016. It is responsible for facilitation of 60 schemes for Welfare of SC/OBC Persons, schemes under Social Defense, Scheme for Welfare of Disabled Persons and also Schemes for Gouly/Dhangar Families.
Many of the beneficiaries of these schemes are widows, disabled and also senior citizens.
Herald visited the office. As far as the staff strength is concerned, there is a District Welfare Officer permanently posted at the Office with an Upper Division and Lower Division Clerk and a multitasking work staff.
For months now, the website of the Social Welfare is waiting for corrections and updates. Several beneficiaries’, particularly senior citizens and women have complained that the website of the Directorate has not been updated and is in urgent need of corrections.
On verifying the same, it was noticed that the details as mentioned are old and wrong in some instances.
The name of Secretary Social Welfare is not updated, the name of the Director is not updated and the contact number of the District Welfare Officer (South) is wrong. The email ID for the Directorate is shown as [email protected]. There is no official email id on nic.in or gov.in for the Department which is shocking.
The telephone number 2794639 for the South Goa office although in the Government Telephone Directory is not listed on the website. But it doesn’t matter, its telephone doesn’t work. When asked at the office, the staff said that the line had been eaten by rats.
Since the office is used only a post office to send papers to Panjim, beneficiaries have to wait endlessly for schemes to be availed. Moreover, many of them can’t find out the status of their applications either online or on phone.
When contacted and questioned on the entire state of affairs, the Deputy Director of Social Welfare Santano Fernandes, said, “The work on updating the website is underway".
When asked about the functioning of the S-Goa Office, he said, "I have an additional charge in North Goa Panjim and if time permits I come to the office once a week," he told Herald.
When asked why he doesn't spend more time in the office of his main charge, he said that the office in South Goa doesn't have much executive work.
"The Office is only a receiving centre. The objective of opening an office in South Goa was for serving the beneficiaries"
But are beneficiaries getting served? Clearly not.
Deputy Director Fernandes agreed that there is a need for staff to serve the people better.
The NGO GOACAN had written to the Department complaining regarding the problems faced by consumers. Roland Martins of GOACAN said, "During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important for consumers to have proper information so that they get proper service and do not face difficulties due to incorrect information".
Perhaps a beginning can be made by getting wires for the phone and a rat catcher.
