PANAJI
The Goa government has placed benefits of 14,560 beneficiaries under the Dayanand Social Security Scheme on hold after a State-wide verification exercise found several cases involving deceased beneficiaries, duplicate benefits and individuals engaged in business activities.
Responding to a calling attention motion moved by MLA Govind Gaude on Tuesday, Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Dessai told the Legislative Assembly the action followed a large-scale survey conducted by the Directorate of Social Welfare to identify ineligible beneficiaries and irregularities in welfare payments.
Dessai said the government launched a door-to-door verification exercise after it came to light that financial assistance under the scheme was continuing to be credited into bank accounts of beneficiaries who had died or could not be traced.
“In the first phase of the survey conducted between October 18, 2024, and March 5, 2025, around 10,000 beneficiaries were found either dead or not traceable at their registered addresses,” he said.
The minister said the department also carried out a data analysis with the Finance Department to identify beneficiaries involved in trade or business activities, including tourism-related ventures or those holding excise licences. Another review was conducted to determine whether beneficiaries were simultaneously availing benefits from multiple government schemes.
“During the exercise, 4,560 beneficiaries were found to be involved in trade or business activities or availing benefits under more than one scheme. In total, benefits of 14,560 beneficiaries have been kept on hold pending further enquiry,” Dessai said.
The government has also begun recovery proceedings in cases where funds were transferred to accounts of beneficiaries after their death. Banks have been requested to return such amounts lying in the accounts of deceased beneficiaries.
He added that removing ineligible names from the database has created space to include new beneficiaries, which currently has an upper cap of 1.4 lakh beneficiaries.
Explaining the Griha Aadhar Scheme guidelines, a married woman or her husband cannot receive benefits simultaneously under the Dayanand Social Security Scheme. The minister said recovery proceedings are initiated whenever such duplication is detected.
“Accordingly, those beneficiaries whose husband was identified to be availing benefit under DSSS simultaneously, recovery is initiated against such beneficiaries, as and when such beneficiaries approached the Directorate for cancellation of the Griha Aadhar Scheme,” he said.
The government has also decided to re-examine recovery notices issued under the DSSY and Griha Aadhar schemes after complaints that families from economically weaker sections were being unfairly targeted.
The House was informed that several reports surfaced that some poor families had received benefits under both DSSY and Griha Aadhar schemes. However, after benefits were disbursed, these families were served recovery notices, causing distress among the affected households.
