The government has started the exercise of formulating new welfare schemes for senior citizens in the state, as an effort towards implementation of the central Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007. Presently, the senior citizen population in Goa is between 80,000 and 90,000.
The Social Welfare Minister, Mr Ramakrishna Dhavalikar, informally speaking to the media on Saturday, said that the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh has directed the states to implement the Act, at the earliest.
“These schemes would come into force from the forthcoming financial year, and special budgetary allocation would be made for the same,” he added.
Mr Dhavalikar further said the government would offer financial help to groups desiring to set offices in various parts of the state and help in implementation of these schemes, including spreading awareness about the same
The central Act provides for more effective provisions for the maintenance and welfare of parents and senior citizens guaranteed and recognised under the Constitution, and calls for strong measures needed to alleviate the pains of this vulnerable section of society.
Speaking further, the Social Welfare Minister informed that the committee set up for scrutinising the new applications for the Dayanand Social Security scheme has already cleared 3,500-odd such applications, out of around 9,000 submissions. And the new beneficiaries will receive the pension by January 31.
“The remaining applications will be scrutinised and cleared, next financial year,” Mr Dhavalikar assured, maintaining that the total number of beneficiaries of the DSS scheme will now touch 1.8-lakh mark. He, however, stated that the payment of a monthly pension of Rs 1,000 to the new beneficiaries would not be made in retrospective effect.
Speaking further, Mr Dhavalikar said that a number of new schemes for the Dhangar community would be implemented soon, including provision of free gas connections, water tanks and daily use utensils.
“A budgetary allocation of Rs 1 crore has been made for the purpose,” he noted.
It was also informed that the benefit of Indira Bal Rath Yojana, a transportation scheme for school students would be extended to the government schools, along with the aided schools, which have at least 10 per cent students belonging to the ST community. “We have already handed over 46 vehicles under the scheme to various schools, while more 17 would be given away on January 30, at a special function to be held at the Government Polytechnic,” Mr Dhavalikar said, pointing out that 30 applications are still pending with the department of social welfare, for availing the benefit of the scheme, and in response, vehicles would be distributed after the end of the code of conduct, presently in force due to the scheduled Zilla Panchayat elections.
The Minister for Social Welfare further informed that during the next financial year, the Indira Bal Rath Yojana would be extended to those schools having at least 15 per cent OBC student population.
[Source]
