LOTS OF MONEY FLOWS INTO JHARKAND N THE NAME OF TRIBAL DEVELOPMENT UNDER
SEVERAL PROGRAMMES OF THE CENTRE LIKE NREG AS WELL AS STATE PROGRAMMES AND
NGO-S BRINGING IN MILLIONS OF $ OM THE GUISE OF CHARITY BUT ACTUALLY USED FOR
CONVERSIONS TO CHRISTIANITY, BY THE MISSIONARIES.
MOST OF SUCH FUNDS ARE DIVERTED TO PERSONAL USE BY POLITICIANS AND GOVT.
OFFICIALS AND TRIBALS REMAIN WHERE THEY ARE LOOKING TO PEOPLE *************
KEEN ON CONVERTING THEM WITH INDUCEMENTS.
JHARKAND HAS THE HISTORY OF PARLIAMENTARY CORRUPTION IN 1999 AND HISTORY HAS
REPEATED WITH SHIBU SOREN OFFERED MINISTERSHIP OF COAL AND OTHER INCENTIVES FOR
VOTING WITH UPA.
DO YOU EXPECT ANY BETTER SITUATION UNDER THE UPA AT CENTRE AND SHIBU AND KODA
FOR THE STATE?
--- On Mon, 7/28/08, Gladson Dungdung <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
From: Gladson Dungdung <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [ =>> Jharkhand <<= ] Welfare's Victim?
To:
Date: Monday, July 28, 2008, 10:39 AM
Jharkhand Forum | Jharkhand.org. in/forum
Welfare's Victim?
Tehelka.com
28 July, 2008
An NREGS contractor's self-immolation reveals rampant corruption in the Scheme,
reports GLADSON DUNGDUNG
ACOMMUNITY THAT has always been on the receiving end of dubious 'development'
efforts undertaken in their name, the Adivasis of Jharkhand can now add the
National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) to the long list of their
torments. The latest victim is 34-year-old Tapas Soren of Sarwaha village in
Hazaribagh district, a small-time NREGS contractor whose death by
self-immolation was reported across the country. On July 2 afternoon, Soren set
himself afire at Hazaribagh's busy Charhi Chowk. He was admitted to a Ranchi
hospital and later on referred to Safdarjung hospital, New Delhi where he
succumbed to his injuries on July 8.
Soren's family — his wife Dashmi, 5-year-old son Sameer and 7-year-old daughter
Sumanti — depended on agriculture, coal selling and forest produce for their
survival. In December, 2007 Soren had secured a contract worth Rs 1.69 lakh
under the NREGS for digging a well in his village. After the first phase of the
scheme was completed, Soren had withdrawn Rs 22,500 from his bank account and
had paid Rs 15,000 to the Block Development Officer (BDO) Manmohan Prasad as
his "share" and the rest he paid as wages to his co-workers. After the second
phase, he withdrew Rs 50,000 in the presence of Panchayat Sevak Brij Kishor
Mahto, who took Rs 35,000 from him as bribe, and threatened that the balance
amount would not be released unless he pays the "share" of higher officers
including the Deputy Commissioner.
The next time Soren went to the bank, he was stunned to find that the remaining
money was already withdrawn from his account with the involvement of bank
officials. His complaints to bank authorities fell on deaf ears, while his
co-workers started putting pressure on him for wages that were due. A rumour
started doing the rounds that Soren had pocketed the money and was making a
fool of his co-workers. To add to his troubles, a letter arrived from NREGS
authorities demanding that he submit accounts to the concerned officer. This
was the last straw; what prompted Soren to take the drastic step of
self-immolation. The events that led up to the incident were recounted by Soren
himself in a statement made in the hospital, and recorded on camera by the
civil society group Jharkhand Mines Area Coordination Committee (JMACC), of
which he was a member.
Soren's self-immolation has created a storm in the social and political arenas
of Jharkhand, and on the day of his funeral, some 2000 members of JMACC
protested with the dead body in front of the governor's residence demanding
punishment to the guilty and compensation for Soren's family. Former MP and
president of Dishum Party Salkhan Murmu called for a CBI probe while Congress
MLA Niyel Tirkey even demanded that Jharkhand's minister for rural development
Anos Ekka be charged with murder.
According to Sister Jema, an activist of Chotanagpur Adivasi Seva Samity who is
very much involved in the case, corruption is widespread in the NREGS, and the
Scheme benefits only the officials, and not the poor whom its intended for.
"The bribe is fixed in percentage in all the schemes. Four percent to panchayat
sevak, five percent to BDO, five percent to the engineer in charge, the list
goes on. How can anyone carry out work in a situation like this?" she asks.
Under the orders of Chief Minister Madhu Koda, three of the officials involved
— BDO Manmohan Prasad, Panchayat Sevak Brij Kishor Mahto and Junior Engineer
Dinesh Prasad — have been suspended. Interestingly, 38 complaints related to
corruption in NREGS were registered in Hazaribagh district but no action had
been taken on any of them.
According to investigating officer Baldev Raj, Soren's death was not due to
corruption but a "mistake" done by the bank. JMACC general secretary Punit Minz
is quick to dismiss this claim, saying, "The investigation officer is trying to
shield the corrupt officers, and his statements amount to rubbing salt on
Soren's family. But we're determined to fight until justice is secured."
>From Tehelka Magazine, Vol 5, Issue 30, Dated Aug 02, 2008
Jharkhand Forum | Jharkhand.org. in/forum
