Corruption marks job scheme for ultra poor

The government's 40-day employment generation programme for the ultra poor people is running in the district amid allegations of receiving money on behalf of fake beneficiaries by public representatives and officials.

Visiting different project areas recently, this correspondent learnt that over fifty percent of the beneficiary labourers are regular absentees at their work although the daily wage of Tk 200 each is drawn from the banks.

On May 14, this correspondent visited Gunarigram and Lalmonipur project sites under Harishpur union of Natore Sadar upazila with project implementation officer (PIO) Ayesha Siddika.

"Only 27 labourers out of a total 52 at Gunarigram project and 19 out of 50 labourers at Lalmonipur project are present. It has been found that the other workers never come to the job," she said.

"Money is being drawn on behalf of fake beneficiaries from the banks although there are instructions to pay the money in presence of the real beneficiaries. Apparently the union parishad chairmen and members have some interest. It is necessary to prepare a new list of beneficiary of ultra-poor people who would work properly," the PIO said.

Rokeya Begum, member of Tebaria union parishad (UP), also chairman of Koigari project, said, "Some five to ten labourers come daily out of 25 labourers under the project. Who will take action as no officials including the tag officer and the PIO have come to visit the project?"

On May 15, this correspondent visited the Baliadanga project and found only 18 labourers out of a total 29 present there.

Saddam Hossain, 'leader' of the labourers, and Ayesha Begum, member (reserve seat for women) from 1, 2 and 3 No wards of Tebaria UP, also chairman of the project, blamed each other for arranging payment to the absentee labourers in exchange of money.

Omar Ali Prodhan, chairman of Tebaria UP, said, "I have asked all the UP members to replace the names of the beneficiaries who are regular absentees from the list ."

Several UP members claimed that they are taking the money for payment of the labourers following verbal instructions from the PIO office.

Now the labourers are getting Tk 400 to 500 from the Aman harvesting work and so, they are losing interest in the employment generation programme under the government project that pays only Tk 200 per day, said Shamsul Haque, member of No 9 ward of Kafuria UP.

Tk 8.85 crore 12 thousand has been allocated for providing job opportunity to 11,064 ultra poor people of 52 unions in seven upazilas of Natore district for the second phase job scheme this year, said sources of district relief and rehabilitation office.

Abdul Mannan, district relief and rehabilitation officer of Natore, said it is a punishable offence if any member takes the money for absentee labourers.