Girijan beneficiaries of Indiramma housing scheme from Dumbriguda mandal in Visakha Agency staged a demonstration in front of the Collectorate here on Monday demanding that the Government recover the funds allegedly embezzled by Housing Department and bank officials and distribute the same to them.
The demonstration was organised by the Girijana Sangham and a memorandum was submitted to the Collector. More than Rs. 49 lakh meant to be disbursed to 190 beneficiaries was siphoned off while the beneficiaries were worried how to face the ensuing rainy season living in half-completed houses, they said.
Officers of the Housing Department and some employees of the State Bank’s Kinchumunda branch affixed false thumb impressions of beneficiaries from Korra, Kitalangi, Sovva, Rangilisingi, Kuridi, Guntagannela, Sagara and Guntaseema panchayats, district vice-president of Girijana Sangham K. Dayanidhi, mandal president P. Dombu and vice-president T. Suryanarayana alleged.
Inquiry conducted
Following many demonstrations in front of the Housing Department and the bank’s housing branch, bank officials promised to disburse the amount but failed to keep their written commitment.
A five-member committee led by Revenue Divisional Officer of Paderu had conducted an inquiry on January 8 and confirmed a fraud amounting to Rs. 49.39 lakh, they said, adding that the amount was not yet disbursed to the beneficiaries.
