NT Reporter
Panaji
In a first for the marginalised Wanarmare (Makadmare) community, six individuals, including senior citizens and persons with disabilities, have received official government assistance. The initiative followed Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s intervention after a team from the Directorate of Social Welfare visited the community last week.
“This is the first time this community has received any benefits under any government scheme,” said Social Welfare Director Ajit Panchwadkar. “It’s a proud moment. We are not just helping individuals—we are working to bring an entire community into the mainstream.”
The department identified beneficiaries, facilitated medical evaluations, and completed documentation to sanction the benefits. “All six were sanctioned on the same day, which is a rare achievement in government processing,” Panchwadkar said.
Three of the beneficiaries are senior citizens, while the other three are persons with disabilities. One disabled individual was personally accompanied by department staff to a hospital for certification, and his application was processed and approved within a day.
Beyond immediate aid, efforts are underway to enroll children from the community into government scholarship schemes, including pre-matric, post-matric, and merit-based scholarships. “We want to ensure no child drops out of school for financial reasons,” Panchwadkar said.
The department also coordinated with Goa Electronics Limited to carry out Aadhaar enrolment in the area, enabling access to a wider range of welfare schemes.
