Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Mar 11: In a significant crackdown on fraudulent claims, the Goa government has recovered nearly ?13 crore from 6,000 ineligible beneficiaries of the Dayanand Social Security Scheme (DSSS).
The Directorate of Social Welfare initiated a State-wide survey to identify and remove untraceable and deceased recipients from the scheme. Minister Subhash Faldesai confirmed that 6,000 bogus beneficiaries had been delisted in the first phase, with more recoveries expected as the investigation continues.
“As this drive progresses, we anticipate uncovering more such cases,” Faldesai stated.
He highlighted loopholes that allowed the fraudulent withdrawals, including banks failing to update passbooks of deceased beneficiaries and families not submitting death certificates, leading to continued financial disbursements.
The DSSS, capped at 1.40 lakh beneficiaries, had reached its saturation point, preventing new applicants from enrolling. The removal of ineligible recipients has now cleared space for deserving individuals to benefit from the scheme, which provides a minimum monthly pension of Rs2,500.
“By weeding out bogus claims, we are ensuring that genuinely needy citizens can now avail the scheme’s benefits,” the minister added.
However, Faldesai acknowledged a one-to-two-month delay in disbursing payments due to administrative challenges but assured that efforts were underway to streamline the process.
The ongoing drive marks a crucial step toward ensuring transparency and fairness in the State’s social welfare initiatives.