Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 10: On Monday, the Governor administration virtually unearthed a biggest scandal within the state dispensation by weeding out more than eight thousand ineligible persons from social security schemes of the state.
This has caused jittery within the political and administrative circles of the state as crores in the past were spent on such persons who have infiltrated into the names of the persons who are in need of the financial assistance.
This has also unearthed a racket over how such people till date continued to remain in the list and why the government in the past had turned a blind eye towards such a worrisome trend. It also has put a question mark on the functioning of the state government over how it has been allowing ineligible persons to continue enjoy the state services the expenditure of which is borne out of the tax payers' money.
Reports on Monday came to fore that the Social Welfare Department has weeded out 8449 ineligible persons in Kashmir division from the list of beneficiaries who are getting pension under National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) and Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS).
This information was given at a meeting chaired by Secretary Social Welfare, Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone to review the progress of weeding out ineligible and underserving persons from the list of beneficiaries covered under NSAP and ISSS. The meeting was informed that the weeded out undeserving beneficiaries include 1047 in Anantnag, 900 in Budgam, 278 in Baramulla, 363 in Ganderbal, 523 in Kargil, 370 in Kulgam, 301 in Kupwara, 110 in Leh, 994 in Pulwama, 650 in Shopian and 2777 in Srinagar.
"This is no less Thana racket. How were the past governments allowing such unlawful measures to take place with impunity? Why not till date has there been any investigation done over how many people are really eligible for the social security schemes in the state and why now in the Governor administration that the step has finally been taken? Does that mean the past regimes were allowing such violations to take place?," asks a senior official privy to the development.
Pertinently, a monthly pension of Rs 1000 is provided to the poor elderly persons, widows, women in distress and physically challenged persons under these schemes. In J&K 573383 beneficiaries are presently receiving pension under these social security schemes including 150883 under NSAP and 422500 under ISSS amounting to Rs 686.36 crore per annum.
The Secretary emphasized that the process of verification must be expedited across the state so that all ineligible beneficiaries are weeded out by 30 September 2018.
He directed the District Social Welfare Officers to replace the weeded-out cases by eligible and deserving applicants from the pending list in their respective districts as per the guidelines of the scheme.
Dr Lone further emphasized that utmost transparency must be ensured and duplicates, if any, removed immediately. It was given out that the process of Aadhaar seeding of the beneficiaries has been started and so far, out of 71699 beneficiaries enrolled under NSAP in Kashmir division, Aadhaar numbers of 32949 have been seeded so far. |
