Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, July 04 2009:
Appealing to the six MLAs of Senapati district as well as the chief minister of Manipur, O Ibobi to take serious note of the alleged misuse of over rupees ninety eight lakhs (Rs.98,83,000/-) by the deputy commissioner of Senapati, Nidhi Kesherwani from the financial assistance given by the ministry of rural development to provide houses to the poor in the rural areas under the Indira Awass Yojana (IAY), the president of United Youth Forum (UYF), Senapati district, L Lalboi Khongsai today demanded that the matter be rectified at the earliest in the interest of the poor and needy people of the district.
Giving details about how the UYF came to know about the matter, Lalboi said that some people from the district reported to them that they were not getting the amount they were supposed to get under flagship scheme of the ministry of rural development, IAY to help in construction/up-gradation of dwelling houses given to members of ST/SC.
On making spot enquiries, the UYF discovered that the report was true and asked the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), the concerned department, to hand over the list of beneficiaries.
The list was found to contain the names of people even outside Senapati district who are government employees and also names of non-existent villages.
The UYF also discovered that some amount was already withdrawn in the name of some people Senapati district, who had no idea about the matter and who had not received even a single rupee from the IAY scheme, Lalboi said.
The IAY beneficiaries get Rs.15,000 per head for up-gradation and Rs.38,500 for construction of houses.
This flagship scheme of the ministry of rural development is meant only for people below poverty line (BPL).
The secretary of UYF, K.Tennyson asked the concerned department, officials and ministers, including the chief minister of Manipur to see to it that the fund is used in the right manner and that it should benefit the targeted poor and needy people, not government employees.