Srinagar, Apr 1: The tardy and poor implementation of the National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) in the Valley is keeping many an eligible from availing the benefit.
 The NFBS which forms a component in the National Social Assistance Programme gives one-time relief of Rs 10,000 to the family that loses its primary bread winner. The beneficiary family gets the money within four weeks from the death of their bread winner through the local Sarpanch.
 However, in the Valley, sources said, the implementation of the scheme right from its introduction has been poor. “Allocations under this scheme are low and there is no monitoring,” sources said, adding that department concerned here had made the scheme so complicated that it had become impossible for any poor families to prove their eligibility.
 The assistance provided under the scheme is aimed to support the poor families in immediate distress.
 The Supreme Court in its order dated November 28, 2001 has directed that “BPL families are to be paid Rs 10,000 within the four weeks through the local Sarpanch when the breadwinner dies.” By virtue of this order the state government is bound to deliver the benefit within the four weeks from the death of the breadwinner to the family.
 However, in the Valley the eligible have not received the assistance within prescribed time. Sources said that not a single beneficiary had received the assistance even within one year from the death of a breadwinner. “Some families have received the assistance after three years. The delay is defeating the purpose of the scheme,” said an official.
 A senior official of Social Welfare Department said the department was forcing the eligible to pass through several tests to prove their eligibility. “First they have to come up with a death certificate to prove that bread winner’s age was between 18-64. Second they have to come up with the recommendation from BDO concerned to prove they belong to BPL category. Third the concerned Tehsildar should certify their income. All these things take years. The BDO conducts his own investigation, Tehsildar his own, the medical officer too takes time to give death certificate,” said the official.
 One of the reasons for far less coverage of the scheme in Kashmir Valley is being cited as lack of mechanism to track the deaths in poor families.
 The department has no policy to identify the beneficiaries under the scheme and it expects the eligible families to arrive at their offices to claim the benefit. The department over the years has not made any effort to bring awareness about the scheme among the potential beneficiaries.
 In the Valley the department pays the beneficiaries through cheques. Ironically the cheques remain pending in the offices for months.
 The officials expect the eligible who have lost their only breadwinner to visit them. Sources said the politicians would play vital role in giving the benefits to people under the scheme irrespective of their eligibility.
 Many eligible are being recommended by the MLAs concerned to get the benefit and the eligible get the impression they got the assistance only due to the MLA.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 1 Apr 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 1 Apr 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 2 Apr 2010 00:00:00 IST