Goa Khabar : Shockingly, there are reports that houses allotted under the prestigious 20-Point Program for the poor and socially deprived are being sold or sublet by beneficiaries, thereby pinching MLA Viresh Borkar. He raised the red flag because of a corrupt act that is proving to be detrimental to the very essence of the government’s intent in providing housing to the poor.
The 20-Point Program aimed at providing low-cost housing to the economically weaker sections of the society seems to have been misused by some of its beneficiaries. Far from making use of the houses as their permanent residences, the beneficiaries have converted those houses into a means of generating revenue by its sale in the black market or by letting them out to migrant seekers of shelter.
MLA Viresh Borkar said, “It’s an absolute mockery of the system. So much money and resources the government allots to uplift the deprived lot through various schemes like the 20-Point Program, but it gets manipulated for personal benefits. I demand a thorough probe and stringent action against those who are found involved in such transactions.”
The news has elicited condemnations from every corner of society and from governing officials, who have called for immediate action to crack down on the corrupt practices. While asking for more stringent control over the same with accountability, demanding same from the technical experts familiar with the issue, the findings reveal bad monitoring and enforcement of regulations governing such housing programs.
According to sources, a massive investigation machinery has been set up to gauge the extent of the anomaly. The local civic body is also mulling over implementing more stringent verification processes to prevent such incidents in the future.
Social activists have demanded that the houses be recovered and rightfully restored to those who are genuinely in need. They also agitate for a marketing system that the rightful beneficiaries should benefit from without fear of exploitation or eventual dispossessions.
The people now just await word from higher officials to see that urgent action be taken in order to reestablish the sanctity of social welfare programs and the people’s trust in their administration.
Amid the ongoing investigation, the general sentiment has tended to be one of zero tolerance for corruption and a unanimous call for justice and integrity in the execution of social welfare programs.
