Chennai

The collector instructed BDOs to ensure that all beneficiaries who were lost livelihood due to the pandemic, were given jobs.

Collector Kandasamy said, “though there are 3.75 lakh persons, who are eligible to get jobs under the scheme, only relatives and friends of panchayat heads and secretaries were benefiting from the drive.” A number of locals complained that they did not get work despite possessing the scheme cards. As per the scheme, white cards for normal persons and blue cards for differently abled, based on their ration cards are issued.

Enquiries revealed that the BDOs handed over the scheme beneficiary verification to subordinates, who worked hand in glove with presidents and secretaries. “A check of those employed for 10 days, 10 - 20 days, 30 – 50 days and more revealed that only those associated or related to the president and secretary were included under the scheme,” Kandasamy added.

When he pulled up those behind this racket, the BDOs replied that man days plummeted to 50 per cent of the pre-COVID days level as most fearing virus infection refused to come for work. The Collector immediately ordered BDOs to submit a list of such villages. “With the number of workers rising to 1.20 lakh within hours of instruction to officials, I am confident that with the next few days, the district will be able to arrive at man days double that of the pre-COVID-19 period,” he said.

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