RTI reveals Rs 22.5 crore allocated for 'toilets construction' swindled under TDP regime

Prakasam: Constructing only 10,000 toilets under the Centre’s Swachh Bharat Scheme, the Janmabhoomi committee during the TDP regime has withdrawn funds for 25,000 toilets at Rs 22.5 crore. An RTI query and an investigation by the Prakasam district authorities have unearthed a major scam in the construction of toilets during the TDP regime from 2014-19.

In 2014, former CM Chandrababu Naidu initiated the Janmabhoomi committees at village, zonal, municipal and district levels who were responsible for selecting beneficiaries in relation to the state government schemes.

Under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan scheme (Open Defecation Free villages), Rs 40 Core has been sanctioned for construction of 25,000 toilets for the poor in Kondapi constituency of Prakasam district. However, it is found that the Janmabhoomi committee headed by TDP MLA Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, constructed only 10,000 toilets.

Centre had sanctioned Rs 15,000 for the construction for each toilet for the poor.

Investigation revealed that the committee only constructed 10,000 toilets, but have withdrawn funds for 25,000 toilets. The committee members drew bills worth Rs 22.5 crore on their names as well as their acquaintances without building the toilets.

As per the RTI report, major discrepancies were found in the 10,000 washrooms that were built by the Janmabhoomi committees (for a person living in X village, toilet was built in Y village).

Details of Rs 40 crore sanctioned under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan scheme in Kondapi:

RTI report for one village:

In one of the RTI responses for Ankarlapudi village, Rs 9,35,000 was paid to 5 NGOs to construct toilets for 127 villagers.

However the RTI revealed that toilets were never constructed for 65 people who were mentioned as beneficiaries. Further investigation by local authorities revealed that Rs 9,75,000 was defrauded by the Janmabhoomi committee members and their friends and relatives who were listed as NGOs.

YSRCP demands investigation across State:

Right after the expose, 1,500 people along with YSRCP Kondepi incharge Varikuti Ashok Babu marched to the residence of TDP MLA Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy demanding an explanation on misappropriation of funds in the construction of toilets.

In a unique protest, they sat on the roads holding toilet mugs representing open defecation for poor in the absence of toilets.

“A thorough investigation needs to be done on the MLA for any other scam. An investigation needs to be carried out in the 174 constituencies to check how much money the TDP must have swindled in the name of the poor,” said YSRCP Kondepi in-charge Ashok Babu.