The Indira Awas Yojana is India's flagship housing scheme for the rural poor. An undertaking of mammoth proportions, the scheme aims to ensure that each family living below the poverty line has the finances to put a roof over it's head. The government has allocated Rs.17,000 crores to the entire effort.
As with many schemes its intentions are marred by corruption at multiple levels. In this video, Community Correspondent Ashit Kumar Ray reports from Kanchan nagar village of Surguja District, Chhattisgarh highlighting the the case of Ashok Sarkar.
A small wage labourer, Ashok got a clearance for his grant under the scheme in 2009. Three years hence a pile of bricks is all he has in the name of a house.
On receiving the first instalment of Rs. 16,000 he had started the construction work immediately but when the money fell short he had to wait for the second instalment. He continues to wait.
In the mean time the monsoons came and washed away what he had managed to construct. Upon informing the village council and asking them for his dues he was told that "the money has been returned".
These events have unfolded despite the government's efforts to curb corruption in public welfare schemes. To prevent funds from being siphoned off middle-men are not encouraged and all money is supposed to be put directly in a beneficiary's bank account.
Something is still amiss and people like Ashok end up bearing the brunt. It's time to make his voice heard and get him his dues.
Call to Action: Chief Executive Officer of Ramanuganj Block on 09009085986 and ask him to release the rest of Ashok Sarkar's money within 10 days.
More videos:
http://youtu.be/CuU2a2AM1r4
http://youtu.be/WwIP1Ks-qmE
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