The Hindu : Karnataka News : Goa bid to prevent misuse of social security scheme

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Friday, Sep 14, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Goa bid to prevent misuse of social security scheme

Special Correspondent

Survey to weed out bogus beneficiaries

Number of beneficiaries has crossed 60,000
Nearly Rs. 100 cr. being spent for the scheme annually

PANAJI: In its bid to prevent misuse of the Dayanand Social Security Scheme, which gives monthly doles to the aged, widows and disabled people, the Goa Government has decided to conduct a State-wide survey to weed out bogus beneficiaries.

The novel scheme is meant to give Rs. 1,000 as pension to beneficiaries who do not have monthly income of their own equivalent to that amount.

Minister for Finance Dayanand Narvekar told The Hindu on Thursday that a special meeting convened by him to discuss the problem of the growing number of bogus beneficiaries was attended among others by the Leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar who had started the scheme during his tenure as Chief Minister.

Estimate

As against the government estimate of a maximum of 60,000 actual eligible beneficiaries, the scheme today has a staggering number of 90,000 beneficiaries, he said. Mr. Narvekar said the State Government had to spend close to Rs.100 crore annually on the scheme.

The issue of bogus beneficiaries was raised by Mr. Parrikar himself in the State Assembly in the last budget session.

Pune-based non-governmental organisation Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini will conduct the survey within three months.

Multiple beneficiaries in one household, under-aged people availing themselves of the benefits by producing false affidavits and people who have their own source of income , are said to be included in the category of ineligible beneficiaries.

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