Dalit Bandhu: A good scheme marred by TRS activists' meddling, says FGG

Hyderabad: Alleging that a novel scheme like Dalit Bandhu was being cornered by the ruling party activists, the Forum for Good Governance has urged Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to order evaluation of the scheme.

The FGG wrote to the CM mentioning the 'adverse press reports' regarding implementation of the scheme. The FGG brought to KCR's notice the survey taken up in Vasalamarri village where the scheme was introduced.

FGG secretary M Padmanabha Reddy said the total population of Vasalamarri was 1,763, including 249 dalits. There were 52 dalit families taking up activities like agriculture (12 units), poultry 14, dairy six, sheep seve, transport 16, service, ration shops 17 and others three. Since all dalit families were selected there is no selection process, but as against 52 families, 75 beneficiaries were selected. In some families' more than one beneficiary was selected.

Reddy said activities were not properly identified and easy to pick and choose method was adopted. Activities selected were mostly goods vehicles and dozers. The beneficiaries being women, in most cases the beneficiary or men member of the family were not having licence to drive. As such they were forced to engage a driver leading to cost escalation.

Subsequently some disposed of the assets. About 14 beneficiaries opted for poultry. Even after one year the units have not started. As demand survey was not done there will be problems with marketing. Some opted for drilling bore wells, land development and power connection, which are also not completed.

Out of Rs 7.5 crore released by the Government in Vasalamarri so far close to Rs 6.5 crore was released to beneficiaries. Barring a few exceptions, the impact of the scheme was not visible on ground.

Similarly, in Karimnagar 22 beneficiaries were selected. The amount was released to 18 beneficiaries. They were from three families. The amount deposited was not utilised as the beneficiaries had applied for group unit i.e. iron sheet bending and fabrication work.

In Vaddepally (Kamareddy district) three members of a family got Rs 30 lakh under the scheme. With this money, they purchased a harvester and after a month sold it at throw away price. They quarrelled over distribution of money leading to the murder of a beneficiary. This is not an isolated incident; in many places the beneficiaries are selling away the assets such as vehicles at throw away prices.

Local legislators were selecting the beneficiaries mostly among their followers and party activists. In some cases the MLAs' followers were collecting Rs 2 to Rs 3 lakhs from the beneficiaries to get the MLA's approval, Reddy stated.