Growing impatience over delay in implementing welfare schemes of the government among public was all there to see in the Rachabanda programme at Sanathnagar and Secunderabad on Sunday.
Hoards of angry applicants of the last edition of Rachabanda, held between this January and February, swarmed municipal officials seeking feedback on pending applications.
“It was in 2004 that I paid Rs. 11,000 for Rajiv Swagruha Housing Scheme. When will I get my house? It is getting difficult to pay for costly gas and electricity bills and rentals. You had promised us to build cheap houses. Please help us,” asked Rahila Begum, a resident of Victoria Gunj at Rani Gunj.
The rush for information on pending applications of the last Rachabanda was huge forcing officials to not provide any new applications related to welfare schemes.
“There is a definite delay in processing your applications for pensions, ration cards, white cards and housing applications. But, we will start issuing white cards and ration cards quickly,” assured Sanathnagar MLA and Vice-president of Nation Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Marri Shashidhar Reddy.
He also distributed pension allotment letters, ration cards and sanction letters of houses to applicants. “Getting land to build affordable houses has become impossible here. We are trying to identify land in Ranga Reddy district to take up affordable housing projects. But it is taking time,” Mr. Shashidhar Reddy said.
Revenue authorities requested public to fill-up applications properly and provide necessary documents to avoid rejection. “Large numbers of applications are getting rejected because applicants are giving incomplete information. Public should make sure to provide accurate information,” officials said.
Queries related pensions, white cards and ration cards dominated the Rachabanda programmes at Sanathnagar and Secunderabad. “Authorities are not giving us a clear picture about ration cards and pensions. My friends who applied for ration cards along with me are yet to receive them,” said Muthyam Pentamma, who received her ration card from the Sanathnagar MLA.
“We want to assure public that every eligible person will get benefits of the welfare schemes. There is a delay. Today we have delivered some ration cards and more will be delivered in the coming days,” Mr. Shashidhar Reddy added.
