Chandigarh : After discussing the situation at the interstate borders between Punjab and Haryana where thousands of farmers have been camping for over a week, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella organisation of the farmers’ organisations, on Thursday announced a series of protests, including a ‘mahapanchayat’ in Delhi on March 14.
It demanded registration of a murder case against Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Home Minister Anil Vij over the death of a man during the farmers’ agitation a day earlier and a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the deceased.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait told the media after the coordination committee meeting of the SKM said on Friday a ‘black day’ for non-implementation of their demands, comprising the law guaranteeing the minimum support price (MSP) of crops, would be observed across the country.
“We demand registration of a murder case under Section 320 (of the IPC) against the Haryana CM and the Home Minister and the death of a protestor would be judicially probed, ” he said.
Accompanying farmer leaders from across the country, Tikait said on February 26 a tractor march would be carried out across the country on one side of national highways. “One side of all the highways will be allowed for the commuters to use. We will ply tractors only on the one side.”
On March 14, a ‘mahapanchayat’ would be held in Delhi for the next course of action.
Farmers leaders on Wednesday put the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on hold for two days after a protester was killed and about 12 police personnel injured in clashes at Khanauri border, one of the two protest sites on the Punjab-Haryana border.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided the premises of former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik and 29 other locations on Thursday in connection with alleged corruption in the Kiru Hydropower Project, reports said.
Around 100 CBI officers were involved in the searches, which took place in multiple cities. The case involves allegations of bribery and irregularities in awarding a Rs 2,200 crore contract for the project’s civil works.
Malik, who governed Jammu and Kashmir from 2018 to 2019, has previously claimed he was offered a Rs 300 crore bribe to approve files related to the project.
The CBI has also booked former officials of the Chenab Valley Power Projects (P) Ltd and the company awarded the contract, Patel Engineering Ltd.
This is the latest development in an ongoing investigation into the project. The CBI had previously conducted searches in January as part of the case.
Manipur lawyer fraternity staged a sit-in protest at Cheirap Court, expressing their strong condemnation against the excessive use of force by the Rapid Action Force (RAF) while attempting to control protesters, particularly women. The sit-in was jointly organized by the All Manipur Bar Association, High Court Bar Association, Bishnupur District Bar Association, and Thoubal District Bar Association in front of Cheirap Court.
Addressing the media on the sidelines of the protest, the President of the All Manipur Bar Association, Puyam Tomcha, highlighted the incident that occurred yesterday at the Cheirap Court Complex, situated in the heart of Imphal City.
“As an attempt to control the protesters, the Rapid Action Force resorted to excessive force against the public, including media personnel and advocates,” stated Puyam Tomcha, President of the All Manipur Bar Association, addressing the media during the protest at Cheirap Court. “The Cheirap Court holds a significant historical legacy, predating Manipur’s integration into the Indian union. It is revered by the legal fraternity as a sacred place. The use of such excessive force within its premises is utterly condemnable and unacceptable. Those responsible must be held accountable,” he continued, urging both society and security forces to uphold the sanctity of the court.
He further stated that the protestors had gathered in connection with the cases related to the arrest of six individuals for an alleged arms and ammunition looting incident. The number of protestors was significantly low, making it unnecessary to resort to excessive force for control.
Therefore, he called for an inquiry to be conducted within seven days, headed by a retired Chief Justice of the High Court of Manipur. It should be noted that yesterday, six persons arrested in connection with the arms and ammunition looting from the 5th IRB Post in Chingarel Tejpur were produced before Cheirap Court and given judicial custody remand until March 5. In the meantime, protestors demanded their release unconditionally, asserting their unarmed civilian status. In an attempt to disperse the protestors, the RAF fired tear gas shells, further escalating the tension.
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has shared the breathtaking scenery of Kashmir in an instagram video from his first-ever visit to Kashmir.
Accompanied by his wife Anjali and daughter Sara, Tendulkar expressed his admiration for Kashmir, referring to it as the ‘closest to heaven on earth.’
During their trip, the Tendulkar family made an unexpected stop at a bat manufacturing unit in Charsoo, situated on the Srinagar-Jammu highway. Owner Mohammad Shaheen Parray of MJ Sports revealed the pleasant surprise of Tendulkar and his family visiting their facility. Tendulkar took the opportunity to inspect the quality of bats made from Kashmir willow, expressing satisfaction with the craftsmanship.
New Delhi : Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) deeply condoles the death of young farmer Shubhkaran Singh aged 23 years, son of Charanjit Singh, Ballo village, Bathinda district. He was shot dead by the Poice today at the Khannori border of Punjab while protesting against the anti- farmer policies of the Modi Government. SKM shares the inconsolable grief of the family of the martyred farmer.
SKM appeals organisations of all sections of the people across the country including farmers and workers to pay tribute to the young farmer martyr.
SKM pledges not allow the supreme sacrifice to go in vain and take decisive action to achieve the just and fare demands of the farmers are achieved through massive and determined struggles.
Jaipur: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi was elected as Rajya Sabha MP for the first time in Rajasthan and two candidates from the BJP, Chunni Lal Garasiya and Madan Rathore were elected unanimously from the state, confirmed Election Commission officials on Tuesday.
Mahavir Prasad Sharma, Principal Secretary of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly and Returning Officer of Rajya Sabha, declared that all three candidates from Rajasthan had been elected unopposed in the Rajya Sabha biennial elections.
After the deadline for withdrawal of nominations passed, the election officer announced the victory of all three candidates.
After the announcement, Chunni Lal Garasiya and Madan Rathore received their certificates while Sonia Gandhi’s agent received the certificate on her behalf.
As of now, out of 10 Rajya Sabha seats in the state, six seats are with the Congress and four are with the BJP.
Chandigarh : Setting aside the election of the BJP candidate as declared by the Returning Officer, the Supreme Court on Tuesday declared AAP councillor Kuldeep Kumar as the Mayor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation during the hearing on the contentious Chandigarh mayoral election case.
The apex court was dealing with a plea filed by INDIA bloc’s mayoral candidate Kuldeep Kumar accusing Returning Officer Anil Masih of allegedly “defacing the ballots” during the Chandigarh mayoral polls held on January 30.
Kumar had accused the Returning Officer of resorting to fraud and forgery in the counting process.
“Setting aside the election process itself would not be proper since the issue is only when the Returning Officer made the counting, ” a bench comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra observed.
The court also ordered prosecution of Returning Officer Masih for ‘misdemeanour’.
“It is evident that Anil Masih is guilty of serious misdemeanour for deliberately defacing eight ballot papers. He must be held accountable” the CJI said.
Contempt proceedings has been initiated against Masih.
On Monday, the top court had said that it would examine the ballot papers of the Chandigarh Mayoral polls along with the entire video recording of the counting day on Tuesday, citing concerns about potential horse-trading.
Expressing the need for transparency and fairness in the electoral process, CJI Chandrachud stressed the importance of scrutinising the invalidated ballots.
On Monday, the court had directed the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to assign a judicial officer to safely transport the records to Delhi.
CJI Chandrachud had stressed the urgency of the matter and declined a plea to postpone the hearing, citing ongoing horse-trading concerns.
Masih, appearing before the bench, had admitted to marking eight already defaced ballot papers with an ‘X’ and accused AAP councillors of creating disturbance during the process.
Masih had said that he had to monitor the situation via CCTV due to the disruptions caused by the AAP councillors.
The top court had summoned the official in question to remain present before it on Monday to explain his conduct.
After perusal of the CCTV footage given in the pen drive by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the AAP councillor, CJI Chandrachud had orally observed: “This is a mockery of democracy. He is murdering democracy. Is this the behaviour of a Returning Officer, who looks at the camera and defaces the ballot? It is obvious that he defaced the ballots. This man has to be prosecuted.”
Deferring the February 7 meeting of the Corporation, the Supreme Court had ordered that the entire record pertaining to the election, including ballot papers and videography footage, would be sequestered under the custody of the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The AAP and Congress’ joint candidate Kuldeep Kumar had petitioned the top court after the Punjab and Haryana High Court refused to stay the election results for the post of Mayor.
In his petition before the high court, Kuldeep Kumar had alleged complete departure from the practice and rules, saying that the Returning Officer refused to allow the nominees of parties to monitor the counting of votes. He also prayed for fresh elections in a free and fair manner under the supervision of a retired high court judge.
New Delhi : In a setback, farm union leaders on Monday rejected the Centre’s proposal of buying pulses, maize and cotton at minimum support price (MSP) by government agencies for five years, saying it was not in farmers’ interest.
The announcement was made by farmer leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal at the Punjab-Haryana’s Shambhu border in Patiala district after holding a meeting.
A panel of three Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Arjun Munda and Nityanand Rai — on Sunday gave a proposal to the farmers during the fourth round of talks in Chandigarh.
Soon after the fourth round of talks concluded on Monday night, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said, “We will discuss proposals given by the Centre with fellow farmers, take the opinions of experts.”
The crops which the Centre has proposed to buy on assured MSP include three pulses – arhar, tur and urad, besides cotton and maize.
It is proposed that the central agencies such as the NCCF, NAFED and the Cotton Corporation of India will sign a contract for five years to buy the crops from the farmers.
The farmer leaders have been asked by the three-member Union ministers comprising Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal and Nityanand Rai to discuss their proposal and give their consent before arriving at the final plan from the Central government.
Interacting with the media after the meeting, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said if the MSP is given for this crop then Punjab can lead the country in production of pulses.
He added it will be a second green revolution in the country though Punjab had suffered due to the Green Revolution by loss of its only natural resources in terms of over exploitation of fertile soil and water.
The Chief Minister also said that farmers of the state can adopt cotton and maize only if they get the MSP of these crops.
He said the assured marketing of these crops can encourage the farmers for crop diversification — a major push to the crop diversification in the country.
He added the country today imports pulses from other countries whereas if farmers get remunerative prices then they can produce these pulses here.
Security forces in Kashmir are on high alert as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Jammu on February 20. The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Range, VK Birdi, led a meeting with top security officials to review and strengthen security arrangements for the upcoming visit.
PM Modi is expected to inaugurate and lay the foundation of various projects while addressing a public rally on the same day. In light of the recent incidents, including the killing of two non-locals from Punjab in Srinagar earlier this month, the IGP emphasized the need for heightened vigilance, particularly during night hours, to mitigate the risk of terrorist threats.
The meeting focused on maintaining a delicate balance between security needs and the smooth conduct of events. The IGP directed officers to bolster intelligence gathering and anti-terror operations, urging them to minimize the risk of untoward incidents by strengthening security at vulnerable points, especially during significant events.
Special attention was given to enhancing security along the National Highway, tunnels, minority pickets, and other critical areas. The IGP issued specific directives to intensify security measures, including surprise checkpoints and patrolling, in both uptown and downtown areas of Srinagar. This includes a 24×7 presence at entry and exit points of the district.
The security measures also come amid a temporary ban on drones and other aerial devices in Jammu ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit. The focus is on ensuring the safety of the VVIP visit and preventing any potential security threats during the events.
A Tehelka SIT report uncovers widespread use of fraudulent means by beneficiaries to obtain subsidies under the Modi govt’s flagship housing scheme
“I was ineligible for the subsidy under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY-Urban) scheme. So, I used fake documents, including a falsified Income Tax Return (ITR), and provided false information claiming I had no pucca house anywhere in India. As a result, I obtained a fake subsidy for the house I purchased in Agra,” bragged Rajeev Verma, a real estate agent from Agra. However, Rajeev didn’t stop there. When approached by our reporter, posing as a fictitious client interested in purchasing a house under the PMAY scheme, he also advised him to submit false information similar to what he had done to fraudulently obtain a subsidy under the scheme.
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), a flagship mission of the PM Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre being implemented by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MOHUA), was launched on 25th June 2015. The objective of the scheme was to address the shortage in urban housing among the Economic Weaker Section (EWS), Low Income Group (LIG), and Middle Income Group (MIG) people, including the slum dwellers, by ensuring a pucca house to all eligible urban households by the year 2022, when nation completes 75 years of its independence. PMAY-Urban scheme’s implementation time has now been extended till December 31, 2024.
There are two types of PMAY schemes based on the area of their focus: Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban. Before applying for the scheme, however, one must consider whether he/she is eligible to receive subsidies. Depending on a person’s income range, he/she would fall in EWS, LIG or MIG categories. If the family’s annual income exceeds the income range for the MIG group, which is Rs 18 lakh per year, it would be ineligible to avail benefits under the Yojana. Also, PMAY is only available for the new property purchased. Besides, an applicant must not possess any other pucca property when applying for the said credit-linked subsidy scheme [CLSS] in which individuals avail subsidies on their home loan under the housing scheme.
Since the launch of the PMAY scheme, reports of corruption in the scheme have surfaced from various regions across the country. In 2021, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL) for alleged fraudulent practices in PMAY. The CBI accused Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan, the promoters of DHFL, of creating “fake and fictitious” home loan accounts worth over Rs 14,000 crore and availing Rs 1,880 crore in interest subsidy from the Government of India. DHFL is just one example, and incidents of similar malpractices in PMAY have also been reported from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
In light of the reported stories of shenanigans surrounding the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Tehelka decided to launch an undercover operation to uncover the alleged prevailing fraud within PM Modi’s flagship housing scheme.Our investigation led us to Agra, where we met Rajeev Verma, a real estate agent. Posing as potential buyers, we informed Rajeev of our interest in purchasing a house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, specifically through the credit-linked subsidy scheme (CLSS), which offers government subsidies on home loans. Rajeev took us to a ready-to-move-in housing project, which he claimed was built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to cater to the demand for EWS, LIG, and MIG houses. Rate of 3BHK of this project, according to him, was Rs 24 lakh.
While touring the project, Rajeev confessed to us that he himself had flouted the guidelines of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, necessary for obtaining a subsidy. Despite already owning a pucca house and having an income tax return exceeding the maximum limit, he admitted to receiving a subsidy for the house he purchased in Agra. He explained that he had concealed information about his existing property and submitted a fabricated income tax return. Rajeev acknowledged that he was ineligible for the PMAY subsidy and did not belong to any category within the Economic Weaker Section (EWS), Low Income Group (LIG), or Middle Income Group (MIG). However, he submitted a fake affidavit claiming that neither he nor his wife owned any pucca house anywhere in India, and subsequently obtained the subsidy under the PMAY scheme.
Reporter- Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana ki subsidy aa gayi ?
Verma- Ji
Reporter- Kitne time mein aa gayi ?
Verma- Ek saal mein..
Reporter- Aur kis bank se liya tha appne?
Verma- Mera tha Axis se..
Reporter- Jab ki aap eligible nahi ho.?
Verma- Haan nahi hain..
Reporter- Aap nahi aatey us category mein..aapne kaise le liya?
Verma- Wo 100 rupees ka affidavit banta hai, stamp paper…ek to ITR bahut halke dikhaney padtey hain..
Reporter- Kya dikhane padtey hain.?.
Verma- ITR bahut halke dikhaney padtey hain, ek dum minimum..ITR kam dikhaney padtey hain.. aur jo hai income bhi bahut kam dikhani padti hai.. ye dikhana padta hai ki hamarey aur hamari madam k naam par poore Hindustan mein koi ghar nahi hai…
Reporter- Hamare ya hamari madam k naam par?
Verma- Hamare ya madam k naam par.
Reporter- Accha aapke parivar mein kisi k naam par bhi pakka makaan na ho?
Verma- Pakka makaan na ho.
Reporter- Hindustan k kisi bhi koney mein..
Verma- Ji bas yehi affidavit mein likha ho.
[Our conversation with Rajeev sheds light on the loopholes and malpractices within the government’s flagship housing scheme. Despite its noble objectives, the scheme seems susceptible to exploitation by unscrupulous individuals like Rajeev, who prioritize personal gains leaving the intended beneficiaries in the lurch.]
Rajeev Verma claimed that despite official pronouncements, the authorities seldom attempt to verify the declarations made by the applicants for the scheme. He explained that he had received Rs 2.15 lakh as subsidy a year ago, but no one ever checked if he already owned a pucca house or if his Income Tax Return was genuine.
Verma- Waise ye Hindustan hai na, itni koi inquiry karta nahi hai…
Verma- Hamarey pass to koi inquiry aayi nahi..maine application submit kar di.. mere pass automatic ek saal baad subsidy aa gayi.
Reporter- Kitne saal pehle aaye paise aapke pass?
Verma- Ek saal hua hai abhi
Reporter- 2 lakh 15 hazar.?
Verma- Haan.
Reporter- Apply kitne k liye kiya tha aapne?
Verma- Apply nahi kiya tha..ye to unka maapdand hai, 2.15 lakh se lekar 2.75 lakh tak aapko bhej dengey..
[Rajeev Verma asserted that despite official declarations, authorities never conduct verifications. He cited his own example to buttress his claim.]
After confessing to obtaining a subsidy under PMAY by submitting false information, Rajeev now advises the Tehelka reporter to follow suit. He suggests him to provide a false affidavit stating that he does not own any pucca house in India while applying for a subsidy on the house purchased through PMAY.
Reporter- Maan lo mein ye makaan leta hoon, iske liye mein subsidy mein Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana mein apply karun, bank se loan lekar, mere pass to pehle se makaan hai Noida mein ?
Verma- Aapke naam par..?
Reporter- Mere naam par bhi hai madam key bhi, dono joint hain usmein..
Verma- Phir to sab keh saktey hain ek tareeke se jua hi hain…waise inquiry hoti nahi hai aur bhi logon ne liye hain…aaj tak to huyi nahi hai, ek banda bhi check karne nahi aaya…ki hamarey naam par ya madam ke naam par property hai key nahi..
Reporter- To aap ye keh rahe ho mein apply kar doon ?
Verma- Apply kar dijiye..apply karne mein koi burai nahi hai..
Reporter- Aur affidavit.?
Verma- Affidavit bana dijiye ki ham dono k naam par koi makaan nahi hai..
Reporter- Lekin makaan to hai Noida main phir ?
Verma- Kaun check karne aa raha hai…Hindustan mein itna time hai kisi key pass..?
Reporter- Maan lo check ho gaya to.?
Verma- To zyada se zyada subsidy nahi aayegi…aur kya aap mat dijiye subsidy..
Reporter- Matlab aise kar rahe hain log..?
Verma- Haan
Reporter- Matlab jinke pass ghar hain wo bhi Pradhan Mantra Awas Yojana mein subsidy le rahe hain..?
Verma- Ji, ji..
Reporter- Aur below poverty line mein bhi nahi aatey wo log , sab ameer hain..?
Verma- Haan haan sir,,ye investor hain sab, sab ameer hain…
Verma- Sab ne..ye Hindustan hai sir, Hindustan mein har cheez ho sakti hai.
[After admitting to obtaining a PMAY subsidy through deceptive means, Rajeev now advises our reporter to do the same, alleging that numerous wealthy and ineligible individuals are taking advantage of the scheme subsidy, effectively transforming the welfare housing scheme into an investment plan.]
Rajeev advises Tehelka reporter to conceal the fact that he already owns a pucca house in Noida in order to qualify for a subsidy in PMAY. He then cites his own example of obtaining a subsidy despite owning a house in Shikohabad, Uttar Pradesh. He said that many people are falsely obtaining subsidies by submitting affidavits to their respective banks, falsely claiming they do not own any other pucca house in India.
Verma-Actual mein kisi bhi plot par ya flat pe subsidy milti hai.. aage wale flats mein bhi XXXXX walon ki usmein bhi subsidy hai.. har ek mein subsidy milti hai
Reporter- Sarkar ki taraf se?
Verma- Ji.
Reporter- Uski condition hoti hai na kuch?
Verma- Ji wahi ki aapke paas pakka ghar nahi hona chahiye.
Reporter- Hamara to ek pakka ghar hai Noida mein
Verma-Wo chupa sakte hain sir. Wo hai Noida mein yahan Agra ki baat hai.. Chal jayega.. koi dikkat nahi hai
Reporter- Usko kaise chupayenge aap batao.?
Verma- Wo aapse affidavit hi mangte hain 100 rupees ka.
Reporter- Kaun mangte hain affidavit 100 ka ?
Verma- Bank wale.
Reporter- Jis se hum loan lenge.?
Verma- Ji.
Reporter- Wo kya mangte hain affidavit ?
Verma- Affidavit mangte hain apply karne ke liye.. 100 rupees ka.. ki hamare naam par koi pakka makaan nahi hai…bus aur kuch nahi hota..survey bhi nahi.
Reporter- Aapne bhi liya hua hai Agra mein aisa?
Verma- Ji… koi bhi aap le sakte hain.. jab tak Modi ji ki government hai..sab par milegi subsidy..
Reporter- Aap ne li hui hai subsidy.?
Verma- ji..
Reporter- Aapka to already pakka makaan tha?
Verma-ji.. Wo Shikohabad mein tha.. Mein ab Agra mein rehne laga hoon. Affidavit ban gaya tha. Meri subsidy aa bhi gayi.. 2 lakh 39 hazar aayi thi meri
Reporter- 2.39 lakhs?
Verma- Ji
[Rajeev advised our reporter to hide the fact that he owns a pucca house in Noida to qualify for a PMAY subsidy while sharing his own experience of receiving a subsidy despite owning a house in Shikohabad, Uttar Pradesh.]
Rajeev revealed that no government official visited Shikohabad to verify whether he already owned a pucca house. He remarked that in bureaucratic processes, no one takes the time to verify facts and advised our reporter to apply for a PMAY subsidy without fear of being caught for owning a pucca house in Noida. He mentioned that many of his friends had wangled subsidies through deceitful methods in PMAY, emphasizing that it only requires submission of a simple affidavit, costing Rs 100, to the bank, stating that one does not own any pucca house in India.
Reporter- Wahan Shikohabad mein survey karne nahi gaya koi.. Wahan pakka makaan hai aapka?
Verma- Nahi koi nahi gaya.. wahan pakka makaan hai. Itna time kahan hai sarkar k pass ki check kare.
Reporter- Sahi keh rahe hain aap.. mein kya karun. le loon subsidy mein.. kahin baad mein dikkat na ho..?
Verma- Nahi-nahi aap le lijiye aankh band karke le lijiye.
Reporter- Aisa na ho baad mein survey ho jaye?
Verma- Survey hota hi nahi hai sir. Aur bhi logon ne liye hain. Hamare yaar doston ne bhi liye hain.
Reporter- Sabke pakke makaan hain pehle se?
Verma- Aur kya.. bhai affidavit hi banwayege ek.. aur kya.. aap bhar dena affidavit. Aapko Rs 100 ka tehsil se lana padega stamp paper.. aur ek application likhkar submit kar dena bank ko.
Reporter- Ye to Agra mein sab par mil jayegi subsidy.?
Verma- Ji sir. Lagbhag 40 lakh se uper nahi hona chahiye bas.
Reporter- Matlab makaan ki keemat 40 lakh se uper na ho..?
Verma- Ji..
Reporter- 30-35 lakh par mil jayegi.
Verma- Haan..
Reporter- Uspar subsidy mil jayegi 2.-2.5 lakh tak ki?
Verma-ji..Sir
Reporter- Agar aap loan lenge to sarkar subsidy wapas kar degi ek saal k baad?
Verma- Ek saal, 8 mahina, 9 mahina. Jitna process mein hota hai.. Time lagta hai.. Hazaron log bharte hain na.
Reporter- Matlab utna paisa account mein aa jayega?
Verma- Ji.. Automatic aa jata hai..
[Rajeev explained how the bureaucracy never found the time to visit Shikohabad to verify his declaration of not owning a property even as he encouraged our reporter to pursue a PMAY subsidy without a care in the world.]
After Rajeev Verma, our undercover reporter met Imran Hussain (name changed) from Katihar district in Bihar. A tailor by profession, Imran confessed that he had paid Rs 3,000 as a bribe to his village head to secure Rs 10,000 from the government to build a toilet in his house under PMAY.
Imran- Nahi- nahi.. Wo to shauchaley ke liye bola tha.. Shauchaley k liye 10 hazar rupiya mila tha..
Reporter- Accha shauchaley ka.. 10 hazar rupees mile aapko.?.
Imran- Haan 2 shauchaley banwaye they… Ek ka paisa mila hai..
Reporter- Accha aapne shauchaley banwaya uska 10k mila sarkar se..?
Imran- Haan
Reporter- Aaram se mil gaya tha ya koi dikkat aayi ?
Imran- Dikkat?.. poori poori dikkat aayi.. 10 hazar to mujhko mila lekin uske liye 2-3 hazar to mujhko dena pada na..
Reporter- Teen hazar rupees rishwat ke dene pade aapko?
Imran- Aur kya.. aise hi thodi hi mil jata hai.. koi bhi cheez aise nahi milta hai.
Reporter- Phir kisko diya aapne rishwat ke 3 hazar rupees..?
Imran- Ward member ko.
Reporter- Ward member ko.?
Imran- Haan gaon ka mukhiya ko.
[Imran Hussain (alias) from Katihar district in Bihar, revealed how he paid a Rs 3,000 bribe to his village leader in exchange for securing Rs 10,000 from the government to construct a toilet in his home through PMAY.]
According to Imran, out of the total Rs 3,000 he paid in bribe, he initially gave Rs 1,000 in advance. After 6-8 months, he received Rs 10,000 in his wife’s account for building a toilet in his house under PMAY.
Reporter- Kitna time ho gaya aapko paise mile hue shauchaley ke liye..?
Imran- Koi 3 saal ho gaye.. 3 saal ya dhai saal ya do saal aisa hi ho gaya.
Reporter- To rishwat ke paise account mein dalwaye.?
Imran- Rishwat k paise to haath mein diya par wo jo milta hai paisa wo account mein aata hai.. Kisi ladies k naam se… Account mein aaya tha.
Reporter- Kiske.. Aapne apni gharwali k naam par liya hoga..?
Imran- Haan ladies ko hi milta hai wahan par.
Reporter- Accha gents ko nahi milta..?
Imran- Na..
Reporter- To aapne apni gharwali k naam par liya hoga..?
Imran- Haan.
Reporter- To bann gaya..aapne toilet banwa liya.?
Imran- Haan mein banwa liya toilet.
Reporter- Kitna kharcha aaya..
Imran- Hamara lagbhag 90 hazar ka kharcha hua..
Reporter- 90 hazaar.. Aur 10 hazar sarkar se mila..
[Imran explained how he was made to pay Rs 3K as bribe for constructing a toilet in his home through PMAY.]
Our investigation into the alleged malpractices within the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana has revealed a troubling trend: a notable number of beneficiaries are exploiting the scheme through fraudulent methods. Individuals are fabricating income tax returns and falsifying documents to hide ownership of existing pucca houses, enabling them to obtain subsidies for properties they are ineligible for. In rural areas, the situation is even more concerning, with residents reportedly forced to pay bribes to access their rightful funds.
These alarming findings underscore the urgent need for corrective action. Stricter oversight measures and robust enforcement mechanisms are crucial to prevent exploitation and ensure that the PMAY scheme benefits reach the beneficiaries it was designed to help.
