Hyderabad: Anti-corruption NGO Forum For Good Governance (FFGG) here wrote to Telangana chief minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) asking him to evaluate the state government’s Dalit Bandhu scheme. FFGG members, who undertook a study of their own at Vasalamarri village, which KCR adopted, reportedly found irregularities in the programme.
From improperly identifying activities to other issues, the organisation said that Dalit Bandhi beneficiaries even sold their assets eventually in some cases.
In the letter addressed to KCR on Monday, FFGG secretary Padmanabh Reddy said that the general talk in Vasalamarri is that the Dalit Bandhu scheme is being “cornered by ruling party workers”. Under the Dalit Bandhu scheme, launched by KCR in the run up to the Huzurabad bypoll last year, the state government is giving Dalit beneficiaries Rs 10 lakh (investments into businesses of their choice) to uplift them.
It was launched with a lot of fanfare as a revolutionary scheme for Dalits, who are marginalised, to help them socially and monetarily. However, FFGG, which undertook its own study of the scheme in Vasalamarri village (Turkapally mandal), said that even a year after it was launched no tangible results can be seen.
According to FFGG’s study, Vasalamarri village has a population of 1763, of which 249 people are Dalits, totaling to 52 families. Padmanabh Reddy said more than one beneficiary per family was chosen as a total of 75 persons were chosen for the Dalit Bandhu scheme.
‘Impact of Dalit Bandhu not visible on ground’
“The activities taken up are agriculture 12 units, poultry 14, dairy 6, sheep 7, transport 16, ration shops etc 17, others 3. Easy to pick and choose method was adopted and the activities selected are mostly goods vehicles and dozers. The beneficiaries being women, in most of the cases the beneficiary or other male member of the family are not having license to drive, as such they are forced to engage a driver leading to cost escalation and subsequently some have disposed the assets,” said Padmanabh Reddy about some of the irregularities with Dalit Bandhu.
The FFGG secretary further claimed that out of Rs 7.5 crore released by the Telangana government in Visalamarri village, so far close to Rs 6.5 crore has been released to Dalit Bandhu beneficiaries. Padmanabh Reddy said that except for a few exceptions, the impact of Dalit Bandhu scheme is not visible on the ground. Similarly in Karimnagar district, he said that 18 beneficiaries were chosen from three families.
“In Vaddepally village of Kamareddy district, 3 Family members of a family got 30 lakhs under Dalita Bandhu. With this money, they purchased a harvester and after a month sold it away at throwaway price. There was a quarrel and distribution of money which led to murder of one of the beneficiaries,” said Padmanabh Reddy’s letter to KCR on the issue.
He pointed out that in a case of interference by the local MLA, the mater went to the High Court, which directed the district collector to choose beneficiaries as per the guidelines.
