PANAJI
The Goa government has been caught in a tricky situation as around 950 girl students from the Scheduled Tribes community are yet to claim the financial benefit, which exceeds Rs 2.37 crore accumulated since 2011.
This unclaimed sum pertains to the Directorate of Tribal Welfare’s ‘Vidya Laxmi’ Scheme, where Rs 25,000 is given as a Fixed Deposit into the bank accounts of eligible girl students upon passing Class X and enrolling in Class XI.
With this, the Directorate of Tribal Welfare holds this unclaimed amount of Rs 2,37,5000 approx, prompting it to release a list of the beneficiaries to claim the benefit.
“The amount is given to the girl child only when she passes the 12th standard Board examination on three attempts or within two years of the first attempt whichever is earlier. The Fixed Deposit is released upon submission of prescribed release form along with 12th standard examination passing certificate and other documents,” it said.
However, from the year 2011-2012 to 2018-2019, the amount has remained unclaimed while Fixed Deposit receipts of the beneficiaries are available with the Directorate. “A list of all the applicants with such unclaimed fixed deposits has been uploaded on the website of the Directorate of Tribal Welfare (https://tribalwelfare.goa.gov.in),” reads a press statement.
The statement comes with a rider that if the applicants fail to claim the FD, it will be deposited back into the State government treasury.
“These applicants may apply for release of the benefit by approaching the office of the Directorate of Tribal Welfare, Panaji, or the office of the Deputy Director of Tribal Welfare, Margao within 90 days, failing which the amount will be forfeited and deposited in the State Government treasury,” it said.
