Srinagar- The move of the Social Welfare Department to publicly publish the names of ISSS/NSAP beneficiaries on city walls has triggered a Twitter debate with netizens calling the move uncalled for.
Pertinently, the names of the beneficiaries of ISSS/NSAP schemes have been written on several walls of the city by the Social Welfare Department.
However, the move seems to have backfired with several people calling the move “getting publicity at the cost of poor people,”
One such wall has been painted at Lal Bazar near G.D. Goenka School.
“Department of Social Welfare ward list of beneficiaries ISSS/ NSAP of DIST SGR 61” reads the banner. It is followed by the names of scores of beneficiaries who have benefited from ISSS/NSAP Schemes.
Netizens have voiced outrage over the incident saying there’s little worse than publicizing the plight of those in need.
Professor Sheikh Mohammad Shafi, former HOD Library Sciences, Kashmir University called the move “Exploitation of plight of the poor for cheap publicity,”
Other netizens also voiced similar views.
“This is shameful. Do they have the consent of people to publish their names on the walls in public places. I hope the officials of the Social Welfare Department know that implementing a government scheme is not a favor, it’s an obligation” tweeted Sanam Sutrirath Wazir.
Popular RJ Nasir tweeted: “Very antisocial policy by social welfare Dept. I wonder what is the need to do this when there is a campaign of digitizing every record in full swing”.
Very antisocial policy by social welfare.
Wonder what is the need to do this when there is a campaign of digitizing every record is in full swing. https://t.co/nuC74bswyR— RJ Nasir (@rjnasirkashmir) November 28, 2022
“I have seen it in other areas too. Someone in the past had pointed this out but no action was taken even then” tweeted Moazzam Mir, another twitter user.
The viral tweet saw more than 8000 impressions with more than 1100 people engaging with the tweet.
However, authorities say they are sticking to norms and doing it for the sake of transparency and accountability.
Speaking to Kashmir Observer, Director, Social Welfare Department Kashmir Mohammad Shafiq Chak said that people have been critical of the move in the past as well.
“At some places, people had objected to the move in the past as well. It is a norm and we have to follow the rules. It has been done for the sake of transparency” Shafiq said.
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