PANJIM: The Social Welfare Department has granted some relief to Dayanand Social Security (DSS) beneficiaries having their account at the Mapusa Urban Cooperative Bank after issues over cash withdrawal, by allowing them to change their bank.
“Many people have approached us to change their bank, which we have allowed. This is the only relief we can grant them. If there is any other alternative by which the DSS beneficiaries (having account at the bank) can benefit, we will do that as well,” Social Welfare Director S V Naik told Herald.
Several thousand such beneficiaries have been left in the lurch as they have been unable to withdraw the monthly dole transferred into their account at the Mapusa Urban Cooperative Bank, creating a panic situation. It is also learnt that many families who are solely dependent on this government scheme rushed to several officials urging to allow them to withdraw.
Herald contacted the outgoing director of the bank Ramakant Khalap who justified the Reserve Bank of India’s restrictions that has forced such a situation. “We have been telling the RBI to take proper steps and relax some restrictions on the Co-operation. The RBI has imposed section 25 A of the Banking Regulations Act three years back and since then we have been urging every authority to give us relaxation. The entire situation is a result of this regulation,” he said recalling that no response from the RBI and State government forced the entire board of directors to resign. Khalap said the government should come to the rescue of the Co-operative banks across Goa on lines with Centre past initiative wherein the nationalised banks were brought under its roof.
