Central grants: Cong claims to expose another scam

Thursday, 18/10/2012

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Chandigarh : The main opposition Congress on Wednesday “exposed” another “scam” in the utilisation of central funds in Punjab. After the embezzlement reported in the Border Area Development Programme (BADP), the party has alleged “mis-utilisation” in the Indira Aawas Yojana (IAY), which is meant for providing houses for houseless people.

Reporting the alleged “scam” to the Union Government, a senior Congress Member Parliament from Gurdaspur Partap Singh Bajwa has sought high-level probe into the matter.

“I am pained to report to you yet another scam in Punjab under the Indira Aawas Yojna. The funds under this scheme are meant to provide housing for the poor,” Bajwa wrote to Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh.

Referring to a scam under BADP unearthed recently, Bajwa said, “About a month ago, Akali leader Gulzar Singh Ranike had to resign as Cabinet Minister amid charges of embezzlement in the Border Area Development Fund and discretionary grants. Although, Punjab Vigilance Bureau is examining this entire bungling, we feel that the state agency will not carry out an impartial investigation into that matter. Accordingly, I along with local legislators of the border area had met Union Home Minister to request him for a CBI enquiry into the matter”.

He said, “Now, there has been another embezzlement to the tune of Rs 35.1 lakh in Sahari and Dhariwal villages of Gurdaspur district. This was unearthed when I along with Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, MLA, Dera Baba Nanak, held a spot inquiry at the village”.

The authorities failed to present any beneficiary, while the records show the entire Rs 35.1 lakh for 78 poor families distributed, the Congress leader claimed.

The grant was released on the condition that the district administration would pay the entire money into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. However, it went into the account of village sarpanch Varinder Singh. Even after nine months, no house was built at the village, but the sarpanch claimed to have distributed the entire amount. “When we asked the sarpanch to show where the new houses meant for villagers holding BPL cards stood, the sarpanch did not had any reply. The sarpanch rather showed us few houses constructed several years ago,” averred Bajwa, while accusing the same sarpanch of “giving grants worth Rs 90,000 to his uncle, who already owns a palatial house”.

He said a similar embezzlement was also detected in Mann village under Dera Baba Nanak block of Gurdaspur district also. “The enquiry conducted by the DC into that matter is just a sham and eyewash to save those who are guilty of such embezzlement. The lower level officials are hand in glove with the sarpanch, who is close to a senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and a former Cabinet Minister,” the Congress MP felt.