Balasore: The Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) in Balasore district has allegedly been ‘botched up’ with many faults.
Amid a mad rush of people to the panchayat offices for corrections, alleged anomalies in the SECC list-2020 are expected to have serious impact on the poor who wish to avail benefits of welfare schemes in future.
Scores of economically backward people have been excluded from the SECC list while the dead and ineligible people are enrolled. Several allegations in this regard have come up, a report said.
People from economically backward sections are provided housing units under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and the Biju Awas Yojana on the basis of their inclusion in the SECC. This census is carried out by the Revenue Department.
It was alleged that pushing the dead and ineligible persons into the list was intended to grab housing units which eligible people are entitled to.
In an instance, over 200 poor and eligible people have not been included in SECC list in Dubulagadi panchayat under Sadar block while many others have managed to get their names enrolled in the list. Now, those who were left out of the list have been running from pillar to post for their inclusion, but to no avail.
Locals alleged that in some panchayats including Patharpentha under Bahanaga block, names of dead persons were enlisted in the SECC while people of general category were included as minority category.
Names of many such people were entered in the list which will create trouble in the future, it was alleged.
In Bahanaga panchayat, names of several people including Chandramani Ray who have died four to five years ago, were included in the SECC.
The name of Parameswar Mallick has found thrice in the list. At some places, names of fathers have not been mentioned. At other places, some families were enlisted several times.
Preparation of the 2011 SECC list was allegedly botched up in Remuna block. As a result, people in 90 villages were deprived of housing units.
The people who were not enlisted in the SECC-2011 list could not get ration cards too.
Asked about the anomalies, programme coordinator Rajkishore Panda said the SECC lists were shown in the panchayat offices.
“People whose names are not there in the list can apply in written formats. And anomalies will be corrected,” he added. However, only three days were left for correction. It is apprehended that such anomalies may not be rectified in a short span.
PNN
