Rich eating up poor’s atta-dal, says survey

Charanjit Bhullar

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 27

Affluent people are getting subsidised atta-dal meant for below poverty line (BPL) families. This has come out in a survey ordered by the state government to weed out undeserving beneficiaries.

The survey will be completed by August 31. This is not the first instance that this scheme has been dogged by controversies of abuse by influential people.

As per preliminary reports, officials have identified 14,187 fake claimants who were issued blue cards under the scheme during the SAD-BJP rule. There are 2.86 lakh beneficiaries in Bathinda district.

In Rampura Phul, there are 339 and 189 such persons who own landed property or had high financial resources, respectively, but were regularly getting subsidised atta-dal.

Similar is the case of some retired employees of the Lehra Mohabbat Thermal Plant.

In Maur, 1,068 families did not present their claims before the inspecting team.

The scene is no different in Jethuke, Kot Shamir, Ballianwali, Pacca Kalan, Behman Deewana villages where even families having palatial houses and luxurious cars have BPL cards, the officials found.

Rampura Phul SDM Subash Khattak said 5-7 per cent ineligible cases had been detected. The verification is under way and the final picture would only emerge once the figures are compiled, he said.

Sources said that in many villages in Talwandi Sabo, the addresses of 119 beneficiaries were fictitious.

In a survey ordered by the then SAD-BJP government, 10,000 bogus claimants had been weeded out in the district.

Despite repeated efforts, Deputy Commissioner D Lakra could not be contacted.

2.86 lakh beneficiaries in Bathinda

• In Rampura Phul, there are 339 and 189 such persons who own landed property or had high financial resources, respectively, but were regularly getting subsidised atta-dal
• Rampura Phul SDM Subash Khattak said 5-7 per cent ineligible cases had been detected