CANACONA: The Canacona block Congress committee has said that the local MLA signs Dayanand Social Security life certificate only after reference from panchayat members who are necessarily supporters or sympathizers of the BJP. Ex-Poinguinim MLA Isidore Fernandes, has demanded immediate change in procedure for obtaining life certificate, due to the hardships faced by them due to the procedures and policies of the BJP-led Government.
The life certificate is required to be submitted annually by the BJP government to continue to get monthly pension under the DSS Scheme for senior citizens.
Fernandes said, “The procedure followed by the government is highly detrimental to the interests of the general public at large and is only aimed at generating vote bank for BJP MLAs.”
Before the BJP Government came to power, there was no such procedure to obtain the life certificate every year. Now, this drastic procedure change has been brought in to protect the political interests of the local BJP MLA, BJP Ministers and MPs.
It may be noted that the new BJP government’s procedure made it mandatory that life certificates should be duly signed by a gazetted officer who is not below the rank of the Additional Secretary, MLA/MP, which is an infringement on public rights. On the other hand this itself increases the hardships and time required to complete the procedure of get life certificate signed by the authority concerned, feel many DSSS beneficiaries.
“In a democracy, the people’s interests come first. Goans are wise enough to take their own decision which was clearly shown in the recent zilla panchayat elections. BJP government will be exposed if they continue to take people of Goa for granted and bring in procedures to harass Goans. Their intention is clear, change in life certificate procedure is harassment of Goans who are now at the mercy of the MLAs,” he said.
Congressmen also criticised the procedure followed by the local MLA and Sports Minister. “He signs the DSS life certificate form only after reference from local panch members who are necessarily supporters or sympathizers of the BJP. Can this be allowed in a democracy?” asked block president Elvis Fernandes.
“We demand to change the procedure with immediate effect, so that there is no inconvenience caused to the public at large who are completely dependent on the income obtained through the DSS scheme,” stated Fernandes, who reportedly assured many disgruntled DSSS beneficiaries to forward their grievances to the government.
