Revenue dept officials accused of siphoning funds meant for drought and flood relief

Haveri: Close on the heels of a scam being uncovered wherein Rs 18-20 crore that was to be paid to those who lost their homes and property to the devastating floods being siphoned off by officials of the revenue department, allegations of funds to be paid to farmers who lost their harvest owing to drought being misappropriated have now surfaced.
In the former case, money that could have helped victims of floods rebuild damaged houses was distributed to friends and relatives of revenue department officials.The transfer of funds was carried out without the survey numbers of those being credited the money being mentioned in official documents. However, the scam involving crores of rupees and the fate of scores of flood victims is yet to be taken seriously by the state government.
On the other hand, Rs 7 crore earmarked for compensation to farmers who bore the brunt of drought in 2018-19 too has not reached the rightful victims. Accountants in villages are among those who have been accused of approving disbursal of funds to beneficiaries without following protocol or without verifying the authenticity of their claims. Staff in the revenue department have been accused of diverting funds to those making spurious claims.
Data from the Bhoomi Online-Parihar portal indicates that funds meant for farmers has been credited to more than 1,000 beneficiaries, all of whom have made dubious claims. Each of these purported beneficiaries has received a sum of Rs 26,728. Furthermore, funds have been credited to beneficiaries, claiming compensation using one survey number, twice or thrice.
Goutam Loday, a farmer, is among those who has been cheated of his rightful compensation. He said that, he had not been compensated for the losses he incurred owing to floods and drought. “My agricultural land falls within the purview of the Haveri city limits. When I approached the officials seeking recompense, I was informed that two people – Manjunath Nandemmanavar and Ramappa Annigeri – had sought and received funds using my survey number,” Loday said.
Former MLA and former president of the BJP’s Haveri unit Shivaraj Sajjanar is among those who has been cheated of his compensation. “Staff in the revenue department have credited the sum that was rightfully mine to someone else, who used my survey number. The Haveri district administration must initiate legal action against those involved in this scam,” Sajjanar urged.
Haveri deputy commissioner Krishna Bajpai said that he was not aware of misappropriation of funds. “But I will look into these allegations, and order a probe at the earliest,” he said.