GUILHERME ALMEIDA
MARGAO: If the below poverty line (BPL) census figure is taken as an yardstick to ascertain the number of families living in poverty in South Goa, there’s a quantum jump of families living below the poverty line in the district.
Blame it on the political class for expanding the BPL list with additional families with an eye on the vote bank .The number of BPL families in South Goa has witnessed a three-fold rise in the last 12 years.
While as per the 2002 census the number of BPL families in the five talukas of Sanguem, Dharbandora, Quepem, Canacona, Salcete and Mormugao was put at a mere 2912 families, a whopping 12,488 additional BPL families have been added to the list up to January 2015, taking the number of total BPL families in the district to 15,400.
Strangely, the number of BPL families in South Goa was just 2912 as against 15400 families up to January 2015.
When the figures were laid bare at the 18th meeting of the district level vigilance and monitoring committee, South Goa held in the South Goa District Collectorate on Thursday, many an eye brow was raised amongst those who attended the meeting, including Member of Parliament Narendra Sawaikar, District Collector Sachin Shinde and Benaulim legislator Caitu Silva.
In fact, the Benaulim MLA raised queries after the statistics were placed before the members for perusal. Caitu sought to know how the total figure in BPL list jumped from a mere 2912 as per the 2002 census to 12,488 up to January 2015, while underlining the need the conduct an inquiry into the matter.
Caitu maintained that benefits under the BPL scheme should go to the beneficiaries and not to people on political considerations. “I have asked for a scrutiny of the cases to find out whether there’s indeed a rise in BPL families in the state”, he said.
Sources in the District Collectorate informed that Shinde has asked the district officials to explore the possibility of checking the background of the families enrolled in the list.
When Herald contacted the district collector to shed light on the controversy over the BPL list, Shinde said it has been decided to conduct a probe into the BPL list from 2002 to ascertain the genuineness of the BPL holders. ‘I have asked my officials to conduct a probe into the matter. The matter is under investigation”, he said.
As per the figures, Canacona tops the list with 3940 BPL lists up to January 2015 from a mere 445 in 2002, followed by Salcete taluka with 3751 families as against 368 families in 2002.
