The Hindu : New Delhi News : `Bhagidar' awards questioned

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 06, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

`Bhagidar' awards questioned

Staff Reporter

`Each year prizes are handed over to chosen loyalists'

NEW DELHI: Several Residents' Welfare Associations (RWAs) of East Delhi have questioned the manner in which the awardees were chosen for various "bhagidar'' awards by the Delhi Government and subsequently honoured during the Bhagidari Utsav-2007 that ended here on Saturday.

"Bhagidari prizes are handed over to chosen loyalists year after year without their having anything to really show for it. This entire scheme has become a means of corrupting RWAs and buying their allegiance,'' charged Ritu Bhatia, secretary of Vivek Vihar Block-B RWA, reacting to the manner in which the event was celebrated.

Sharing the view, Ram Nath Sant of Government Pensioners' RWA in Trilokpuri said: "Are only a handful of RWAs working in East Delhi as the awards are being handed over to same RWAs or individuals for the past three years? Hard-working RWAs, which are really doing good work for the benefit of residents, have been ignored. Even the basic selection criteria circulated at the time of inviting applications from RWAs are ignored while announcing the awards.''

Harmony

"Government Pensioners RWA in Trilokpuri has set up a sewing school for women for empowering them, a school for girls and boys from minorities and economically weaker sections, and brought in communal harmony in the sensitive area. But though it applied thrice for the award thrice and each time the inspection was done and the award was assured by Deputy Commissioner (East), at the last minute its name got dropped,'' lamented Mr. Sant, adding that the association had decided not to apply for the award again.

Other RWAs have questioned the manner in which money was spent during the two-day event. M. K. Jain of Pushpanjali Enclave Resident Welfare Association said it would have been better if the Delhi Government spent the money on more important things.

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