Union minister backs ST political reservation
PANAJI
Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, on Wednesday said Goa had recorded 70 inter-caste marriages in the past three years and received aid through a central scheme. Couples opting for such marriages are eligible for government assistance of Rs 2.5 lakh, he noted.
Athawale, who was on a Goa tour, met officials of the State’s Social Welfare Department at the Secretariat to review the implementation of central schemes and, while briefing the media, said Goa had 33,000 persons with disabilities according to the 2011 census, and each got a pension of Rs 11,868.
He added that the State lacks a government school for disabled children and the Centre, he assured, will support Goa in setting up such institutions with modern education and medical facilities.
He pointed out that before 2014, many citizens lacked bank accounts but with the launch of the Jan Dhan scheme after the Modi government came to power, Goa saw 2.32 lakh accounts opened.
Under the Mudra scheme, introduced in 2015, loans up to Rs 10 lakh were made available through simplified procedures and Athawale said several hundred Goans availed themselves of these loans.
In 2016, the Ujjwala scheme provided free LPG connections to poor households, with 2,000 families benefiting from it. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana has supported 3,000 beneficiaries in rural areas, he added.
Ayushman Bharat, launched in 2018, offers free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh. Athawale said 29,000 Goans have benefited so far. Under the Ujala scheme, 2.62 crore LED bulbs have been distributed free of cost in the State.
Meanwhile, Athawale backed the demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) quota in the Goa Legislative Assembly, saying STs account for 16.6% of Goa’s population and Scheduled Castes 8.4%. “Together, they form 25% of the population. The State government has approved the proposal for ST reservation. Though reservation is not directly linked to my ministry, I will pursue the matter in Delhi,” Athawale said, adding that granting reservation will strengthen the community.
