Korukonda: First she is listed as an eligible farmer to receive money in her account under Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme. Later, she is not only declared ineligible but also asked to return the money.
Seema Sarkar, wife of Ashok Sarkar, a resident of MV-28 village of Kamabeda panchayat under Korukonda block in Malkangiri district, had received money in her account under KALIA scheme of the state government.
Seema has recently received a letter from the government wherein she was asked to return the assistance money she received under the scheme as she is not eligible to receive it.
Seema’s husband Ashok is a kidney patient. Both his kidneys are partially damaged and he is unwell these days.
Being the sole breadwinner in the family, Ashok is presently finding it difficult to make ends meet. The government letter has only proved to be an additional burden on him. The family has already spent the KALIA money.
“For the fault of the government, our family is in distress. At a time when we are even not even able to arrange money for my treatment, how we will manage to return the money to the government! The government is punishing us for a mistake that we didn’t commit,” Ashok rued.
Meanwhile, fellow villagers have urged the local administration to take a sympathetic view of the situation and come forward to help the distressed family.