Poor villager struggles to get name enrolled in IRDP list

Appeals to Jawali MLA for help

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“The matter has been brought to my notice. I will direct the Block Development Officer, Nagrota Surian, to conduct an inquiry. If Puran Chand fulfils all norms, his name should be included in the IRDP or BPL list”.

Salim Azam, SDM, Jawali

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Rajiv Mahajan

Nurpur, July 30

Pratap Chand, a poor resident of Hawal village in Harsar gram panchayat of Jawali subdivision, has been struggling to get his name enrolled in the Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) list for the past over four years. His wife, who had attended gram sabha meetings of Harsar panchayat for getting their family included in the list, died three years ago.

A visit to the house of the hapless villager on Thursday depicted the miserable conditions his family is living in. After the death of his wife, he along with his two sons and a daughter is living in a one-room kucha house, which is on the verge of collapse.

Pratap Chand, who belongs to the OBC category, alleges that he was deceived by the panchayat, which told him three years ago that his name had been included in the IRDP list. However, he was later shocked to know that his name was included only in the Priority Household (PH) category of ration card holders for procuring cheap grains from the fair price shop instead of in the IRDP list.

He said that Jawali MLA Arjun Thakur should visit his house to see his poor condition and get his name included in the IRDP list. He lamented that the gram panchayat had deprived his family of the benefits of the programme.

A peeved Pratap Chand no longer attends the meetings of Harsar panchayat. He works as a labourer and the lack of job availability has made it difficult for him to make both ends meet. During the lockdown, he faced the worst, as he lost all means of livelihood and was forced to sell his livestock.

Pratap Chand qualifies all government norms for the inclusion of his name in the IRDP or below poverty line (BPL) list but the local panchayat has neglected his cause. It is alleged that several non-deserving persons in Harsar panchayat are enjoying the benefits meant for the BPL and IRDP beneficiaries.

Jawali SDM Salim Azam said that the matter had been brought to his notice and he would direct the Block Development Officer, Nagrota Surian, to conduct an inquiry. If Puran Chand fulfils all norms, his name should be included in the IRDP or BPL list.

Des Raj, pradhan of Harsar panchayat, said that if Pratap Chand had submitted an application by fulfilling requisite formalities, his case would be decided as per the government norms.

Caption: Pratap Chand at a dilapidated kutcha house at Hawal village in Jawali. Tribune photo