OLD GOA
The Social Welfare Department has been allotted Rs 553.72 crore, the major chunk of which has been allotted to the ‘Dayanand Social Security Scheme’.
While presenting the budget, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant informed that Rs 436.80 crore has been allocated for the DSSS, which is significant considering that there has been a hue and cry over the delay in the DSSS payments.
Further, the CM informed that from this year onwards, it has been decided to strengthen the various corporations delivering welfare schemes to minorities, backward classes, and tribals in order to expand their scope of work.
Sawant also informed that the CM Scholarship Portal has been launched to facilitate the process of awarding scholarships to students from different categories through a single portal, for which provision of Rs 7.16 crore has been made.
Also, the CM informed that a ‘Home Loan Interest Subvention Scheme’ will be introduced, wherein the government will bear a portion of the interest of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana loan, and Rs 15 crore has been allocated for the same.
The CM also announced that the government will expand the scope of ‘Nashamukt Bharat’ programme and also take up the renovation of the senior citizens homes run by the Provedoria.
Also, Rs 28.17 crore has been allocated for the newly created account of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
Sawant also informed that the students with disabilities from Goa won 19 medals for India at the 2023 Special Olympics World Games held in Berlin.
