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| SBM becomes latest source of corruption in rural areas | | | Early Times Report
jammu, Feb 25: Swachh Bharat Mission may be a successful flagship programme all over India but here in J&K it has become a latest source of corruption. Corrupt tactics by the officials at the helm and political interference has marred the execution of the Mission in rural areas where distribution of funds is far from being fair.
Sources said the national flagship programme Swachh Bharat Mission is under clouds of corruption at various levels, this time malpratcies not only seen at the hands of officials concerned but also due to favoritism and biased approach by the MLAs in selection of beneficiaries in the rural areas in many districts of the State. While the aim and objective of the Mission is to ensure access of poor (BPL families) to toilets, basic requirement of the programme is to identify those who are not having such facilities in their homes or vicinity of homes. But this line is not being followed nor adhered to strictly in many rural areas of State, sources said.
The operational authority of the programme under SBM is Rural Development Department and it is primarily the job of the BDOs to identify the genuine families for distribution of earmarked money for each household, said the sources. While The State Government is required to give Rs 9000 as its share, the Centre gives Rs 3000 as its share per household making the amount to Rs 12000 for construction of toilets for the larger purpose of clean and hygienic surroundings, the thrust area of PM Narendra Modi led NDA Government.
The flagship programme has been kick started in J&K but it is facing hiccups on account of corrupt practices, sources said. In some areas Gram Sewaks working under the BDOs are asking the people to give Rs 2000 as their share out of Rs 12000 if they want to get their cheque promptly for the purpose, sources said, adding that no criteria is adopted or followed in terms of identification in such cases. This has become a tool of corruption in their hands and in the process deserving and real beneficiaries are being deprived of this facility offered by the Government .
Sources further said that political influence and interference is also marring success of SBM as many MLAs are giving preferential treatment to their workers and supporters in their constituencies while distributing cheques for construction of toilets in rural areas. Some of them have taken this 'job' in their own hands and are distributing money as a matter of their own interest, said the sources, adding that those having no contacts or links with MLAs have been pushed to side, no matter many of them deserve it most as per the guidelines of the programme. The authorities at the helm are also encouraging this pattern in order to please the MLAs and remain in their good books, sources further said.
That distribution is far from being fair and just can be substantiated by an instance seen in Kot Bhalwal area of Raipur Domanna constituency where one family had to run from pillar to post for nearly 9 months and was given the cheque even after intervention from one of the powerful MPs of PDP, sources said. |
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