MARGAO: In a case of utter humiliation, 11 persons with disabilities (PwDs) from South Goa district were not delivered the three-wheeler scooters sanctioned under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) Scheme as the dealer claimed that payments were not made to him for the same.
It is learnt that the Collectorate staff looking after the MPLAD Scheme were finding it difficult to handle the new portal introduced by the union government, as the staff was familiar with the previous portal which has been discarded.
South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha too endorsed it.
The beneficiaries were further asked to return the scooters to the showroom for not completing the payment process.
However, South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha stated that it was unfortunate that such things would happen and accused the administration of lacking seriousness.
It is pertinent to note that on September 10, Sardinha had organised a function to distribute the three-wheelers to the PwDs at Curtorim. Shockingly, even the MP appeared unaware till the beneficiaries raised the matter that the payment pertaining to these scooters was not released to the dealer concerned.
The beneficiaries hoped that the scooters would be delivered to them, but were left disappointed when the dealer informed them that scooters cannot be handed over to them due to non-payment from the government.
Speaking to O Heraldo, Domingos Goes, a beneficiary from Velsao, who expressed his frustration, said it is a mockery and humiliation of PwDs.
“I even paid the insurance amount, but was shocked to know from the dealer that the amount was not released by the government,” he stated.
Rosario Gomes, another beneficiary from Fatorda, informed O Heraldo that he had borrowed money from his friends to pay the insurance amount.
“I had taken delivery of the scooter during the function at MP’s residence, however, I was stunned when I received a call asking me to return the vehicle to the dealer’s showroom since the process was incomplete,” he added.
The beneficiaries now question as to why the scooters were distributed to them when the payment process was still incomplete and whether it was a publicity stunt.
Admitting that the amount to the dealer concerned was yet to be released, an official at the South Goa Collectorate office informed that there were technical issues in releasing the amount due to the introduction of a new portal by the Central agency.
“There is no issue of funds but the new portal that has been introduced since April this year has caused the delay. After following the process on the new portal we have released the amount of one scooter to the dealer concerned and the remaining will be done by next week,” he informed.
Stating that it was unfortunate that such things happened, MP Sardinha, “I was unaware about the non-payment to the dealer. The function to distribute the scooters could have been delayed further as there was no urgency. I thought that payment would be released to the dealer.”
He said that he has written to the Additional Secretary of Government of India on the issue.
Dealer ‘deliberately held back’ 3-wheelers, despite booking orders from govt: DRAG
MARGAO: Taking serious note of the humiliation faced by persons with disabilities (PwDs), Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG) has accused the dealer concerned of ‘deliberately holding back’ the three-wheelers, despite booking orders from the government.
In conversation with O Heraldo, DRAG president Avelino D'Sa demanded that the dealer should be blacklisted if he failed to deliver the three-wheelers to the beneficiaries’ by Monday.
He said that South Goa Collector had assured him that the three-wheelers will be handed over to all the beneficiaries by next week.
Avelino said that the delivery of the three-wheelers cannot be held back when the government has issued an order to the dealer. “It is unacceptable. It is the fault on the part of the dealer. Yes, it is an insult to the persons with disabilities.”
When contacted, the staff at the dealer’s office refused to shed more light on the issue.
“Three-wheelers are not yet handed over to the beneficiaries, but will be handed over to them by next week,” said the lady staff.