Anusuchit Jati Mahasabha, Assam has alleged high-level corruption in the Directorate of Scheduled Caste, Assam. Addressing the media persons, in Guwahati, the President of the organization, Chandra Kamal Bhagawati said that his organization came to know through Right To Information (RTI) Act 2005 that the funds meant for the development of the scheduled caste and tribes were misused by the directorate officials. Therefore, the Mahasabha has demanded a CBI probe in this matter.
He said that for getting some information under the RTI Act his organization filed a petition and the copy of the same was sent to the Chief Minister, Assam, Minister for development of SC/ST department and Principal Secretary. It was funny to note that the reply of which could be given on two or three pages of a paper, the Director concerned through his letter No. DSC/RTI/743/2006/71 dated23.3.2010, informed that for getting the information the organization has to deposit Rs.5,20,360 (Rupees five lakh twenty thousand three hundred sixty), which was unexpected and unimaginable.
The information wanted by the Anusuchit Jati Mahasabha was:
1. The Central government allocates crores of rupees annually for distribution of yarn, handloom, sewing machines and nets for fisheries etc, and the purchases of such items are done without inviting tenders, therefore the organization wanted to know the names and addresses of all such suppliers and contractors engaged in the works. The information is not known to anybody. It is known that a purchase committee has been formed by vested interests, who are alleged of sharing the entire fund.
2. Lakhs of rupees are given by Central government for the cleaning works and this organization desired to know the names of the districts and the amount given to each of them.
3. Annually, primary and high schools and colleges, where fifty percent students are from scheduled castes are entitled to get aid from Central government. The Principal Secretary WPT and BC under his endorsement No. PR. Scy/SM/RTI/8/2009/17 dated 12.03.2010 informed about the query No.3 and the rest remained without any comment. The reply was as below:
a) Mailabari College Sonapur, Guwahati has been given Rs.one lakh, but the college has shown as Rs.4 lakh as ‘grant-in-aid’. Similarly several colleges have been shown the payment of lakhs of rupees where the scheduled cast students are nominal in numbers.
b) To Jorsimuli High School, rupees one lakh has been shown as given, where not a single schedules cast student is found. It is alleged that in this case Sub-divisional Welfare Board and Chhaygaon members are involved.
Morigaon College has got Rs.15,80 lakh, BBK College, Barpeta Rs15.20 lakh and DKB College, Golaghat Rs.15.20 lakh. None of these collages have scheduled cast students above fifty percent.
The Anusuchit Jati Mahasabha wanted to know whether the information about the presence of scheduled cast students in these colleges were ascertained by the department before giving the funds and also whether the schools and colleges were informed about the schemes. The organization wanted that the copies of such reports be sent to them but nothing has been done.. Therefore it demands that a CBI inquiry may bring the results.
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