Abhaya Hastam funds embezzled

Luxettipet: Siphoning of ‘Abhaya Hastam’ pension scheme amount allegedly by Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) officials without the knowledge of superiors is causing heart burn to the aged.

According to reports, the Congress government had introduced the scheme in 2009. Under the scheme, each member should contribute Rs 385 per year for 10 years. Members on attaining 60 years of age will get Rs 500 every month towards pension.

It is learnt that a few names of the members were not registered because of clerical error during 2009-10 and 2010-11. The officials instead of repaying the amount to the persons, whose names were not entered, allegedly diverted the amounts to their personal uses.

The TRS government has chosen not to continue the scheme. Therefore, the members switched over to Aasara scheme. There are 10,200 members in all the SHGs of the mandal, including 5,921 members in ‘Abhaya Hastam’ scheme. As many as 259 names were missing in the registers of Abhaya Hastam scheme. The total amount paid by all these members runs into more than Rs one lakh. The amount remained in the account of Mandal Samakhya Abhaya Hastam.

It is alleged that the amount has been pocketed by the officials of the IKP without the knowledge of higher officials.
Speaking to The Hans India, IKP Assistant Project Manager Lakshmi clarified that the amount has been spent to purchase blankets for Talamala tribals.

Kapirapu Pullavva and Boledu Yellavva of Chandram village said they have paid the installments regularly. The officials had enquired regarding the same on April 1 this year and said that the officials concerned were turning a deaf ear to their pleas to either return the money or to disburse pension. They appeal to the government to come to their rescue.