RTI reveals irregularities in Indira Awaas Yojana

Times of India: Ranchi: Tuesday, May 28, 2013.

An RTI reply has reveled that several families in Mandu block of Ramgarh district who have not been figured on the below the poverty line (BPL) have been allotted Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY), violating government norm.

A resident of Mandu village who had sought information under the Right to Information Act (RTI) on IAY beneficiaries received replies from the office of the block development officer (BDO), showing irregularities in the allocation of IAY benefits. According to government norm, only BPL families are entitled to the housing benefits.

The RTI replies revealed that Jasmat Ansari of Mandu got the benefits of IAY using the BPL number 00437 of Bablu Manjhi of the same village. Similarly, Naheed Parveen, wife of Akhtar Hussain, was the beneficiary of the scheme by using the BPL number 00903 of Shyam Lal Hembram of Basaudi village of the block. Sanjay Ganjhu's wife Karmi Devi also received the benefit using the BPL no. 00553 of Kudus, son of late Gafur Miyan. Further queries revealed that the beneficiaries were not from the BPL families.

RTI information also revealed that Talo Muni Devi, the wife of a Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) employee Sanjhala Manjhi, received the IAY benefit, although his name has not been included in the BPL list as government PSU employees do not deserve to be listed as BPL families. But thanks to some officials and panchayat representatives, the CCL employee's kin were the beneficiaries depriving those who have been listed as BPL families.

Deputy development commissioner (DDC) Prem Kant Jha admitted that there was largescale irregularities in the allocation of funds under IAY in the block. "It has been found as the preliminary information reaching his office shows that some persons, including a CCL employee's family, got the benefits of government schemes meant for BPL families using others' numbers."

Jha added, "It's unfortunate that some fake persons have been allotted IAY benefits using the BPL number of other poor families which is a serious anomaly and those found guilty will not be spared. as Mandu BDO has been asked to submit detailed report about the allocation of the scheme."