Team Herald
PANJIM: Several senior citizens, the beneficiaries of Dayanand Social Security Scheme (DSSS), on Monday, faced hardship after they were show caused, asking to remain present in person, by the Directorate of Social Welfare created panic. However, the department clarified that the beneficiaries need to visit but reply to notice with required mandatory documents.
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Moreover, almost every notice was served on a ground that the beneficiary residence, for carrying out Impact Assessment Survey of DSSS, was not traceable as per the given address.
As the government offices opened full-fledged on Monday, senior citizens had lined up outside the department head office in Panjim. Beneficiaries, as old as 75 years, right from Canacona to Pernem, stood in hot sun, for hours, maintaining social distancing, to reply to their notices.
Interestingly, the senior citizens are out, at a time, when government has asked them to stay indoors to prevent from possible COVID-19 infection.
Though, the notices were served in February, due to the lockdown in view of COVID-19 pandemic, the beneficiaries were unable to reply.
The notices, issued to several hundred beneficiaries, had directed them to visit the department within 60 days of receipt of the notice and rescheduling of the survey, failing which the financial assistance sanctioned will be stopped. An amount of Rs 2,000 per month is provided to the senior citizens and widows.
“I stay in Sattari, I have come all the way in KTC bus today to reply to the notice. Standing here for last one hour, I am surprised that they could not find my house, which is just next to main road,” a 72-year old farmer, said.
Another lady, in her 60s said, “Right! I came from Varca. This is my second visit to the department. First, two weeks back, when I came they told me to go back as the concerned person was not present. So I came today again.”
Admitting that the beneficiaries have to face the hardship, Director Umeshchandra Joshi told Herald that the notices are served based on the report submitted by Goa Electronics Limited (GEL), the nodal agency for conducting the survey.
“We are putting the system in place now. Beneficiaries need not visit the office. They can reply to notice, along with the address proof, via post or hand delivery it through anyone. We will precede it,” Joshi said.
After Herald contacted, the department issued an appeal to the beneficiaries “not to visit” the department during the lockdown period.
The Directorate has informed that if any queries to notice are required to be addressed, the same would be done only after lockdown period is lifted in order to maintain the social distancing or else the replies could be sent on official email id: [email protected].
