Gram sabhas witness ruckus between villagers and officials

Hyderabad:Gram sabhas, which are being held across the state for the second day, witnessed tussle between beneficiaries and officials with concerns on their inclusion. Opposition parties tried to wade in the troubled waters fuelling the arguments between the villagers and officials.
It may be recalled that the meetings are being held to select beneficiaries for Rythu Bharosa, Indiramma Atmiya Bharosa, new ration cards and Indiramma houses. The programme which started on January 21 will continue until January 24. The villagers argued with officials after they announced names of beneficiaries even after trying to convince them that it is not the final list. In this backdrop, the deputy chief minister urged all eligible people to apply for the benefits on Tuesday.
Many ministers, who were in Belagavi to attend an AICC session on Tuesday, participated in the meetings after reviewing the happenings with the district collectors last night.
Applicants were seen agitating for inclusion of their names in Nemarugommula village of Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district. They were seeking Indiramma Indlu and ration cards.
In instances like in Manakonduru Assembly constituency, the denial of Indiramma Aatmiya Bharosa scheme to Nakka Sankaravva and Repaka Kavitha who work under NREGS created a ruckus as the BRS leaders sought to champion their cause. This led to tussle between the Congress and BRS leaders. In Shankarapatnam mandal, villagers belonging to Karimpet entered into arguments with officials seeking Indiramma houses. In a meeting held in Mylaram, beneficiaries questioned officials regarding their missing names.
With doubts over fairness in the selection, squabbles were witnessed in places like Dharmaram village in Pitlam mandal of Kamareddy district. This led to minor trouble between the villagers.
The opposition charged the government with holding the entire exercise with an eye on the forthcoming local body polls. They also accused it of conducting them under police watch. BRS leader Harish Rao accused the government of seeking applications through gram sabhas even after giving applications through public governance programmes and MeeSeva. He called the entire exercise duplication and wastage of resources.
Former CPI MLA Gade Venkat Reddy said, “As the schemes are being implemented 11 years after the formation of the state. There is a need for transparency in the holding of meetings. The real needy should be zeroed in and should not be constrained by party affiliations. This is a government programme and squabbles have been witnessed in some places. The words of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy should be adhered to and earn a good name for themselves. The government should regularise lands on which the poor are living in Hyderabad and the districts.”