Kerala: Women allege fraud against Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam
ALAPPUZHA: As the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on irregularities in the microfinance scheme of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam reached nowhere, banks send legal notices to women who repaid loans without failure. At least 25 women of self-help groups (SHG) Guru Sayoojyam and Om Gurusree from Keerikkad South near Kayamkulam have recently got notices from Canara Bank citing dues over Rs 3 lakh.
The women say they had closed Rs 5 lakh loan (for each group) taken under the scheme on November 16, 2015, through the Kayamkulam SNDP Union, but that did not appear to have reached the bank, and the loanees remain defaulters. Mini Sivasuthan, president of Om Gurusree SHG, says the loan transactions were happening smoothly ever since its introduction. For the first time, they ended up in a tizzy.
The particular Rs 5 lakh loan that landed them in trouble was taken on December 19, 2013. With the loan, they built small coir manufacturing units and paid dues at the Union office within 24 months. They got a receipt, but they knew they got cheated only when legal notices reached them early last year. "We had registered a case against them with Kayamkulam police last year. The union then gave us a written assurance to pay Rs 2 lakh by May 30. But they haven't paid any. Now we are told they would pay by this Friday," she said.
"We are waiting for Friday. If they fool us again, we will launch an agitation in front of their office." The union had cheated Guru Sayoojyam group here as well. Its secretary Subha said they were still liable for Rs 1.2 lakh though they had paid in full. "What is our fault?," asks Vijayamma, 63, a member of Om Gurusree. "We lost our money and reputation. Our coir business lost. Livelihood collapsed. No bank will advance to defaulters. We are trapped."
The police booked SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan, Velanchira Sukumaran, Kayamkulam Union president, and leaders Anilkumar and Pradeep Lal in July. "It's great loot," another "beneficiary," said. "We know vigilance is probing it. We want all culprits punished. And steps should be taken to resolve the issues." The Yogam launched the money scheme, with Rs 15 crore the Backward Community Welfare Corporation allotted in 2001. It came under VACB scanner following allegations of misappropriation of funds.
The women say they know many groups who had even remitted a single instalment. V.S. Achuthanandan had recently criticised VACB for delaying the investigation.
