Provedoria or “PROVEDORIA DA ASSISTANCIA PUBLICA’’ which is also known as “INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE” was founded by the erstwhile Portuguese Government by an enactment of Diploma Legislative, No. 1200 dated 7-08-1947 in order to co-ordinate and exercise supervision over all the modalities of Social Welfare, either maintained or subsidized by the Government.

In the beginning, the objective of Provedoria was only to administer the Public Assistance fund but within a period of three months of its inception, Provedoria began to enjoy all the privileges and facilities given to the Government Bodies Vide Article 1 of Enactment No. 1209 dated 27.11.1947.

Provedoria made considerable progress within four years of its inception. In 1951, the overseas Ministry of Portugal felt that it was necessary to reorganise the whole set up of Provedoria so that it could be given financial autonomy. Thus, since the Year 1952 Provedoria began to enjoy all the privileges of an Autonomous Body conferred in it by Diploma Legislative No. 1944 dated 22.10.1959.

Further, vide an Enactment No. 1984 dated 14/4/1960 in terms of Article 6 of the said Enactment the Provedoria was authorized to derive its income from the following sources:-

  • Profits made out of sale of lotteries.
  • Sale of Special Stamps of Public Assistance.
  • Grants given by the Government or any other Official or private bodies.
  • Tax on Foreigners.
  • Customers duty levied on luxury articles.
  • Amount derived out of the sale of hoarded articles.
  • Excess of any other fine referred in the Article 350 of the Civil Registry Court.
  • Heritages kept by the Private Parties to be utilized for the benefits of Public Welfare without indicating any other entity.

After the Liberation of Goa on 19th December, 1961 the major sources of Income was restricted only to lotteries as the income from other sources steadily decreased as a result of total change in the financial management and administrative set up brought about by the Government in the post liberation period. So the lotteries provided the Provedoria the steam required to run its engine to sustain the whole lot of its social welfare activities.

Late Dr. Jose da Silva Pereira, was appointed as the first “Provedor” (Director ) of the Provedoria in the year 1947.