THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As local-self government institutions (LSGIs) are getting ready for the implementation of the Eleventh Plan, the Government has warned civic chiefs and members against violation of norms in distributing individual benefits to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes and those below the poverty line (BPL).

Local Self-Government Department sources told The Hindu that a section of the civic chiefs and members were circumventing the guidelines for awarding individual benefits to weaker sections in favour of their friends and relatives.

The distribution process may seemingly appear harmless, but quite often such benefits were being pocketed by privileged groups who were totally ineligible.

The members often picked one of the stipulations from a set of norms to help the people of their choice and in the process tend to overlook all other conditions prescribed by the rules.

The inconsistencies in the stipulations too worked to the benefit of those who manoeuvred it, sources said.

Such instances had been detected in different parts of the State and the department stumbled upon specific cases in distributing houses, solar lamps, study materials and such other benefits to the weaker sections.

Quite often, the civic chiefs and members finalised the list of beneficiaries without any consultation with the public. After getting clearance of the panchayat, they managed to secure the approval of the District Planning Committee (DPC) too.

Official connivance

A section of the officials also connived with the members in apportioning the benefits among their well-wishers and cleared the list furnished by the members without raising any objections.

A panchayat in Kollam district purchased a number of cots to be distributed to the aged and infirm among the weaker sections. Following complaints, the department had to intervene and the distribution was stopped.

Similar cases had been cited in granting houses to the landless poor, widows and the destitute. On the ground that the fund allocated for providing house for the landless poor was insufficient for buying land and constructing a house, priority was being given to those who had land and thus the scheme failed to benefit the target group. Similar discrepancies had been detected in implementing the other schemes for such sections, sources said.

Firm directives

Firm directives had been given to prevent recurrence of such cases and ensure that the benefits were reaching the target groups itself.

Civic chiefs had been directed to strengthen the participation in grama sabhas for approving the beneficiaries list without complaints, sources said.

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