Discrepancies in selection of BPL families, poor denied benefits of govt schemes
Ravinder Sood
Palampur, December 10
Large-scale irregularities in the selection of beneficiaries for the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category, Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) and Antyodaya have deprived hundreds of poor people of the benefits of these schemes.
Information gathered by The Tribune reveals that the state government has given powers to panchayats to select poor families, which can be included in the BPL category for these schemes. In the absence of any counter-check from SDMs or Deputy Commissioners, District Panchayat Officers and BDOs, panchayats have allegedly selected families ignoring the deserving persons.
No action on survey findings
- In 2018, the state government had ordered a survey for the verification of persons availing of benefits under the BPL, IRDP and Antyodaya schemes
- In Baijnath alone, 2,937 ineligible families were detected
- The committee recommended the removal of such families from the lists of beneficiaries
- However, even after five years, the government has not been able to remove ineligible beneficiaries
In many villages of Palampur, Baijnath and Jaisinghpur subdivisions, many deserving families have been ignored while those having facilities such as four-wheelers, family members in government jobs and own agricultural land have been included as beneficiaries. People included in the BPL category get foodgrains for Rs 2 per kg. Besides, these families are also entitled to free housing, medical and education for their children.
In 2018, the state government had ordered a baseline survey for the identification and verification of persons availing of benefits under the BPL, IRDP and Antyodaya schemes to clean the mess. The panchayat pradhans and secretaries, patwaris and in-charges of village fair price shops were members of the committee.
As per information, in Baijnath alone, 2,937 ineligible families were detected that were getting the benefits of the BPL and other schemes though they owned four-wheelers, bank deposits and concrete houses. The committee recommended the removal of such families from the lists of beneficiaries. However, even after five years, the government has failed to implement reports of the baseline survey and ineligible people are still getting the benefits of the schemes. The situation is similar in other parts of the state.
Kuldip Kumar of Dehra Gopipur, Vinod Kumar Banuri, Manohar Lal of Baijnath, Bhuddu Ram of Chadhiar and Dalipa Ram of Harsar say that the committee found that though they fulfilled all norms, they were struggling to get the benefits of these schemes.
An SDM said that they had no role in the selection of the beneficiaries as the government had given all powers to gram sabhas. He admitted that he had no power to review such selections and such matters could be redressed only if any affected person appealed to him.
