PANJIM: In a bid to study the socio economic impact of the various social welfare schemes, the Directorate of Social Welfare in coordination with Goa Electronics Ltd (GEL) has commenced the taluka wise assessment of Dayanand Social Security Scheme (DSSS), Griha Aadhaar (GA) and Laadli Laxmi.
At the beginning the survey will be taken up in Bicholim and Quepem Talukas. Thereafter, the survey will be carried out in one taluka of each district at a time. The entire survey is proposed to be completed in a period of nine months.
The objectives of this survey is to study socio economic impact of the schemes, assessing current execution, procedure and improvement if needed from the beneficiary prospective, assessing the benefits given and existing criteria for availing benefits and evaluate changes if required and assessing the eligibility of each beneficiary so as to weed out any non – deserving beneficiaries.
Beneficiaries will have to submit Aadhaar card copy of all family members to the surveyor.
“In view of the above all beneficiaries of the above schemes are asked to keep Aadhaar card of all family members readily available during the survey and extend cooperation during the survey,” reads the state from the department.
Goa has around 3.50 lakh beneficiaries, which are covered under the various social welfare schemes Dayanand Social Security Scheme (DSSS), Laadli Laxmi and Griha Aadhar. However, of late, the new sanctions under the Griha Aadhar, which provides monthly financial support of Rs 1,500 for married women, has been kept on hold, pending review of the scheme. Till date the government has spent around Rs 273.6 cr on its 1.52 lakh beneficiaries since its inception in 2012.
The state exchequer is burdened by Rs 22.80 cr monthly under the scheme.
Laadli Laxmi – is one which provides support of Rs one lakh to the girl child on attending the age of 18 years, for educational and marriage purpose. An amount of Rs 508 cr has been disbursed to total 50,879 sanctioned beneficiaries. The scheme was also launched by Manohar Parrikar during his earlier tenure in 2012.
Dayanand Social Security scheme (DSSS)- the oldest and the first of its kind financial assistance scheme for the senior citizens was launched in 2001 by Parrikar during his first term as Chief Minister. The most populist scheme has completed 17 years. As on date, there are 1.96 lakh people availing benefit under the scheme, which provides Rs 2,000 to senior citizens, additional Rs 500 (2500) for medical treatment and Rs 3,500 to those suffering 90 per cent disability. With Department of Social Welfare failing to maintain the bifurcation of the beneficiaries under various financial heads, the actual expenditure on the scheme cannot be calculated. If one calculates the average income of Rs 2,000 to these 1.96 lakh beneficiaries, the government spends around Rs 39.2 cr per month, on an average Rs 470 cr per annum.