MLAs milk farmers’ aid

[karira]

As reported by TNN in The Times of India, Hyderabad Edition, on 13 September 2008:
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MLAs milk farmers’ aid


Nagpur: In a bitter twist to the Vidarbha farmers’ tragedy, a simple RTI query has revealed a huge scam in cash and kind in the CM and PM’s special relief packages.

A six-time former MP and relatives of a sitting MLA and several former MLAs are among the ‘well-off ’ people who have helped themselves to the relief measures meant for poor, bereaved families in Yavatmal district, the epicentre of the farmers’ suicides.

The revelations point to large-scale graft in implementation of the schemes. Social activist and journalist Vilas Wankhede, who made the RTI query, alleged that undeserving people abused the scheme in which 50% of the cost of purchase of a cow or a buffalo is subsidised. The scheme was meant to help the near and dear ones of those indebted farmers who were the sole breadwinners of their families and who had ended their lives, or other below poverty line (BPL) families living along the state dairy’s milk procurement route. Its purpose was to enable the distressed families to supplement their income as farming had become uneconomical in this region.

After Wankhede applied under RTI Act, the deputy commissioner of Yavatmal’s animal husbandry department provided the list of beneficiaries.

While former Congress MP Uttamrao Patil and his family members got ten cows under the subsidy scheme, sitting MLA of Digras Sanjay Deshmukh’s wife and mother got a cow each, ex-minister and former guardian minister of Nagpur district Shivajirao Moghe’s near relations got eight cows. Wani ex-MLA Wamanrao Kasawar’s four relatives got eight cows, while Congress leader Suresh Lonkar’s relatives bagged six.

More suprisingly, the contractor who supplied the cows, Amol Kshirsagar, was himself a beneficiary and got subsidy for two cows. All the leaders belong to the Congress, the NCP or other parties in the ruling alliance.

State BJP president Nitin Gadkari, who introduced Wankhede at a crowded press conference here on Friday, said the RTI data only related to one district. “This is the tip of a scam iceberg, since the packages were to be implemented in six suicide-affected districts of Vidarbha,’’ he said. Demanding a CBI probe into the relief packages, Gadkari also sought the PM’s intervention. “If the government fails to order a CBI enquiry, we will file a public interest litigation,’’ he added.

“What is disturbing in the whole affair is that needy and deserving people were left out and well-heeled politicians mainly from the Congress and the NCP misused the scheme,’’ said Gadkari.

More shockingly, Wankhede pointed out that despite distributing thousands of milch cows, each costing around Rs 14,000, the milk collection in the district actually showed a decline. The collection figure on June 1, 2006 was 6,521 litres, but on the last day of that month, it was 5,359 litres. The beneficiaries also took advantage of funds provided for fodder and many availed of insurance by claiming that the animal died! Gadkari said the Narendra Jadhav committee report on implementation of relief schemes in Vidarbha had also mentioned widespread corruption and supply of relief material at inflated costs.

ENRICHED NETAS

Ex-MP Uttamrao Patil, wife Sushilabai, sons Rajendra and
Manish, and an employee of their education society, Laxman Pawar.
Together, they got ten cows with subsidy amount of Rs 70,000
Ex-minister Shivajirao Moghe’s brother Anand Moghe and his sons Vijay Moghe, Bharat Moghe and daughter-in-law Sunita Moghe. The family got 8 cows with subsidy of Rs 7,000 on each

[jps50]

Every body knows all these things. It is open secret in all govt schemes for the poors. It is now ONLY substantiated on papers. We will witness that out of 1000 crores given by PM for Bihar floods, not even 100 crores will reach the real victims of floods. More ministers, politicians and govt staff and private suppliers/contractors will be crore-pati in a year or two. This happened in Gujarat earthquake of 2001. Unless the info is used to get the fradusters punished, nothing will stop. And who will punish? Judiciary??? Doctor is now patient with skeletons falling out in open even of higher judiciary.

[sidmis]

CM orders probe into Vidarbha scam
as reported by Prafulla Marpakwar,TNN | 14 Sep 2008

MUMBAI: Embarrassed by the facts revealed by the RTI query, chief
minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Saturday ordered a high-level inquiry
into the multi-crore scam in the PM's and CM's relief package meant to
help poor and bereaved families of farmers who committed suicide in
the Vidarbha region.

Gopal Reddy, the director of the V P Naik Mission for Farmers, will be
in charge of the probe. "Deshmukh has asked for a comprehensive
information on the beneficiaries of the special package for the entire
Vidarbha region. Once we get the details, we will decide on the course
of action to be taken against those who have wrongfully helped
themselves to the relief measures," a top official told TOI.

Yavatmal-based activist Vilas Wankhede on Friday alleged that while
selecting beneficiaries for the package, there was blatant violation
of rules, as a result of which, cattle was distributed among
non-eligible, well-off people, including prominent politicians from
the district, home town of the new MPCC president, Manikrao Thakre.

A month ago, when Wankhede had submitted an application under the RTI
Act, he was told that relatives of former MP Uttamrao Patil, former
minister Shivajirao Moghe, Digras legislator Sanjay Deshmukh and
cattle supplier Amol Kshirsagar were provided with cows though they
were not eligible for it.

According to the state government and PMO rule, only families of
farmers who had killed themselves and BPL residents of the region are
eligible for assistance under the multi-crore relief package. A
preliminary probe revealed that the cattle was distributed during the
tenure of Harshadeep Kamble, who was then the collector of Yavatmal.

According to the guidelines, the beneficiaries are selected by a
four-member committee, which is headed by the collector. All
applications for assistance under the relief package are presented
before the panel by tehsildars or revenue officials and after
scrutiny, the committee selects the beneficiaries. "From the RTI data,
it appears that the committee did not verify the credentials of the
applicants," the official said.

"Prima facie, it appears that there was lack of seriousness among the
babus posted in the Vidarbha region. As a result, despite adequate
budgetary provision and special economic packages, the results were
not visible," a senior Congress minister from Vidarbha said.

He added that the bureaucrats had successfully failed all efforts made
by the chief minister to tackle the agrarian crisis.

"No officer wants to complete his tenure in any of the Vidarbha
districts. Unfortunately, Deshmukh had taken a very lenient view of
the casual approach of the bureaucrats. Now we will have to take stern
action against the erring officials or else we will have to pay a
heavy price during the coming elections," the minister said.

CM orders probe into Vidarbha scam-Mumbai-Cities-The Times of India