Latest news with #Panchwadkar
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Six Vanarmare tribals to get welfare benefits for first time
Panaji: For the first time, members of the Vanarmare tribal community of Nirankal will receive regular financial assistance under a govt welfare scheme. Govt has sanctioned the Dayanand Social Security Scheme (DSSS) for six tribals from the community, comprising three senior citizens aged 65 to 67 years, and three persons with disabilities aged 45, 48, and 54 years. Last month, the social welfare department went out to meet the community and observed that none of them were availing themselves of any social welfare schemes. 'They will begin receiving Rs 2,000 each under the scheme from July, which will be credited to them in Aug,' director of social welfare Ajit Panchwadlar told TOI . 'Rs 2,000 is a huge amount for them considering their present living conditions. This money will help take care of their needs, including medication, and earn them respect in their families. Taking this money back home will turn them into an important member of their families,' he said. 'This is not a one-time gift. This is the first time the govt has reached out to them to extend a govt welfare scheme,' Panchwadkar said. The govt is also looking at proper housing for them and is considering rehabilitating them.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Govt extends social welfare schemes to Vanarmare tribe
Panaji: The social welfare department on Monday interacted with the Vanarmare tribe at Nirankal-Ponda to create awareness about govt schemes. It was found that although in dire need, none of the tribals benefited from any social welfare schemes, including educational schemes of govt. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The social welfare department has several pre and post matric scholarships that the community was not aware of let alone availing benefits of it. The traditional occupation of the tribe, as their name suggests, involved killing monkeys and making a living by selling their meat. However, most have kept their bows and arrows aside to comply with the forest and wildlife acts to work as daily wage labourers. 'We found that the community has senior citizens and disabled persons, but none of them are availing themselves of the . We felt it was our duty to reach out to this community and explore the possibility of extending govt schemes to them,' said director of social welfare Ajit Panchwadkar. A special camp will be organised with the panchayat to complete documentation and required formalities to extend benefits to the primitive tribe, he said. 'Although documentation will be a hurdle, it is our duty to resolve it for them. They are the most underprivileged community, cut off from society, and it is our responsibility to extend a hand to them,' Panchwadkar said. The team, also comprising deputy director Medora D'Costa, assistant director Rashmi Rawal, district welfare officer Anette Gomes, and the village panchayat secretary and field worker of Bethora Nirancal, interacted with the community and explained various schemes of the social welfare department to them, who were largely unaware of them. TOI reported in the past that the community was deprived of all govt welfare schemes meant for the underprivileged class of society, as they didn't possess any documents to establish their identity. TOI also reported that members of the tribe voted for the very first time in the 2017 assembly elections.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Goa govt recovers Rs 39 crore from ineligible social security scheme beneficiaries
Panaji: The directorate of social welfare that has been weeding out ineligible Dayanand Social Security Scheme (DSSS) beneficiaries for over a year has deleted the names of 14,000 beneficiaries, including 2,000 of those who are running full-fledged businesses, and has recovered Rs 39 crore from them. 'The money was being deposited in beneficiaries' accounts even after their death. Some passed away in 2011 and 2014, yet the monthly DSSS money was being credited to their accounts,' director of social welfare Ajit Panchwadkar told TOI. 'It was a huge exercise to first identify those who had died and then to write to banks to return the money,' he said. Govt sent out notices to banks in around 5,000 cases for the recovery of money. The directorate is continuously working to plug loopholes and to clean up the beneficiary list of the scheme that warrants close monitoring because it is a recurring scheme. It began with beneficiaries in the 80+ age category and recently covered the 75-80 age category. DSSS beneficiaries have been brought down to 1.3 lakh, and the monthly burden on the exchequer reduced from Rs 29 crore to Rs 25 crore. Last year, govt capped the number of beneficiaries at 1.4 lakh. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Highest Earning College Majors—2025 Edition Best Paying Degrees | Search Ads Learn More Undo 'We have been relieved of a liability of Rs 3 crore per month and have made space for 10,000 new, deserving beneficiaries,' Panchwadkar said. Govt, at the same time, also began disbursing financial aid under the amended scheme with increased pension for widows. The directorate, he said, is in the process of integrating its data with the records of births and deaths so that the department can be updated in the case of the death of a beneficiary. Govt has also started giving instructions to banks not to allow withdrawals if the scheme amount is left untouched for six months. 'We have asked banks to ask beneficiaries to submit a letter with genuine reasons as to why the money has not been withdrawn,' Panchwadkar said. 'Otherwise, we will presume the person is financially sound and no longer requires financial assistance. This is assuming there was no medical emergency in the family.'
