He assured that the beneficiaries will receive the money in their accounts latest by Monday, August 29.
During his address, the Chief Minister informed that nearly 3.40 lakh families including 1.30 lakh beneficiaries of the Dayanand Social Security Scheme (DSSS) and 1.35 lakh home makers, beneficiaries of Griha Aadhar Scheme would benefit from the move. A total amount of Rs 142 crore would be disbursed ahead of the festival.
DSSS beneficiaries, senior citizens, persons with disabilities and single women, receive a monthly support of Rs 2,500 per month. However, the payment is pending for the last three months, since June. Similarly, under the Griha Aadhar scheme, a married woman gets a support of Rs 1,500 per month and here too the payments have been pending since June this year.
Apart from these, the dairy farmers, fishermen, etc, from various sections of the society, including students from the Scheduled Tribes and (ST) communities, have been waiting for the government’s support benefits which have been pending for at least six months.
While the announcement is a welcome step, the ‘gift’ is a little too late for thousands of families who are completely dependent on the social security, incentives or scholarships from the government to live a life of dignity.
During the last five months, retail inflation has been at its peak only to drop nominally to 6.7% in July. Buying daily needs has become an expensive affair with items such as pulses, fish, edible oil, onions, tomatoes, potatoes and vegetables, which are the most basic essential for human consumption have become dearer even for those living ‘above the poverty line’.
In such circumstances, a delay in disbursing the benefits of the various schemes is the last thing beneficiaries would want.
Herald has highlighted in the past the plight of families due to the government’s delay in the disbursement of these benefits. In the last two years, in most of the cases, the delay has been at least for three months extending up to six months, going by the admission of the government.
The delay entangles most of these completely dependent families into a vicious cycle of loans and/or credits to ensure that they have their livelihood moving.
Unable to make upfront payments for the daily essentials, families then turn towards grocery stores which supply the items on credit basis. But a delay of more than a month forces these beneficiaries to look out for loans, which usually are as little as Rs 5,000 but for the dependents of the various schemes, especially the social security schemes, the amount becomes a burden.
A delay in receiving the scholarship amount has forced many to borrow money to pay for their fees, especially the examination fee which despite several exemptions becomes dearer for those from rural areas. These students may have exemptions in fees, but their daily commute is taken care of due to the scholarships they receive.
Except for some good samaritans in the society, every individual who is extending a loan to those in-need, charges a hefty interest rate. These include even the co-operative credit societies in the neighbourhood as well as the private financial entities. In most cases, to get rid of one loan, the individual or a family is forced to let another loaner through the front door.
The several schemes which have been legislated and are provided to the citizens of the State, is a matter of their right which is supported by every taxpayer, including the ones who receive the benefits of these schemes as they pay indirect taxes.
Therefore, Chief Minister Sir, the ‘Ganesh Chaturthi gift’ is too little too late. Hence, do not wait for festive time to release the rightful benefits of the scheme
