Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

SC Corporation scam: public inquiry demanded

VIJAYAWADA: The AP Scheduled Castes Cooperative Finance Corporation, popularly known as SC Corporation, sanctioned loans to some 30 “beneficiaries” of Munagacherla village in Nandigama mandal and the banks promptly disbursed the same, all during 1998-2006.

But, none of the “beneficiaries” were stated to be aware of the developments until Kambhampati Vijayababu, one of them, received a letter from Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy stating that the Government had annulled his loan. The matter remained a secret because the banks that disbursed the loans too reportedly made no attempt to recover the loans.

The State government, as part of its welfare measures, has been waiving the loans taken by the SCs to relieve them from the burden. Mr. Vijayababu says he was baffled when he came to learn that some officials had taken his wife’s signature on some papers, when he was away from home, stating that the loan taken by him had been waived.

The officials did not give any information or documents either about the loan or its waiver. “They spilled the beans only when I insisted on knowing about it,” he says. Mr. Vijayababu was not alone. P. Pullaiah, K. Kondal Rao, P. Suresh, P. Sundara Rao and others too were duped in a similar fashion. They allege that J. Ranga Rao, a resident of the same village, is the main culprit behind the scam, while the officials of banks and the SC Corporation too “connived” with him in swindling the loans. They allege that Mr. Ranga Rao had taken photographs, signatures or thumb impressions with the promise of helping them in getting loans. “But, we never enjoyed the fruits of subsidy loans though bicycle repair shops, fancy shops and sheep rearing units have been set up on paper.” “He (Mr. Ranga Rao) swindled all our loans ranging between Rs.10,000 and Rs. 60,000. In all, he siphoned off more than Rs. 20 lakh,” Mr. Pullaiah alleges.

The victims, under the aegis of Rythu Coolie Sangham, have already approached the SC Corporation’s executive director, Krishna district joint collector and bank officials seeking justice.

“Joint Collector B. Ramaiah advised the victims to lodge a police complaint, and he called the DSP concerned to look into the issue. But, the police were reluctant to file a case,” says M. Bhargavasri, Sangham leader. He says that the police argue that the case could be filed only if the SC Corporation lodges a complaint. “We don’t understand the logic behind it.”

The victims now demand a “public inquiry” into the loans disbursed by the SC Corporation. They also want sanction of loans to the real beneficiaries.

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