Tractor scam at Bokakhat

In a press meet today, the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity’s Golaghat Dist. Unit has brought serious allegation against Amal Dao Chairperson of Project Implementation Committee, Bokakhat under Integrated Tribal Development Projects (ITDP). Addressing the press meet Ratan Dao, Secretary KMSS Golaghat Dist. Unit has said that the Directorate of Welfare of Plains Tribes & Backward Classes implements various welfare schemes through the District and Sub-Divisional offices. The plains districts of Assam are divided into 19 Integrated Tribal Development Projects (ITDP) for implementation of the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP). For each ITDP there is a Project Director who is an ACS (Senior Grade) officer and a Project Implementation Committee (PIC), with a non-official chairperson, to approve beneficiaries and to review implementation of the TSP Schemes. One of such scheme is the distribution of Tractors, Power Tillers, Auto Van etc. to various Tribal Self Help Groups. Dao said that as per the information they gathered through the Right to Information Act, during the years 2006 to 2011, 14 Tractor, 7 Power Tiller and 1 Auto Van were sanctioned to Project Implementation Committee, Bokakhat. But when the members of KMSS enquire the SHGs in whose name the tractors and power tillers were allotted they denied receiving any such grant. Atul Charingia, President Dragov Self Help Group said that in the year 2006-07 a tractor was allotted in their group’s name but the PIC, Chairperson has sold out the tractor. Similar allegations were also made by Gelabil Krishi Self Help Group, Taranga Self Hel Group and Punchan Mishing Self Help Group. They all said that the tractors which were allotted in their name were sold without their knowledge. KMSS Golaghat Dist. Unit and Punchan Mishing Self Help Group today submitted memorandum to Deputy Commissioner, Project Director ITDP and Superintendent of Police demanding an enquiry into the matter and arrest of the PIC, Chairperson. They have also demanded distribution of tractors n power tillers that were supposed to be have allotted to SHGs should be return to them immediately. If their demands were not fulfilled within 15 days the KMSS will resort to indefinite sit-in-demonstration.