Cheques issued under welfare schemes by UP government bouncing

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav government's welfare schemes are in shambles. Several cheques issued by the Akhilesh Yadav government to the beneficiaries of different welfare schemes have bounced causing acute embarrassment to the state officials.

Many cheques issued under the Kanya Vidyadhan Yojna for girl students who have passed class 12 have bounced. Even cheques issued for flood relief have bounced.

Government officials are silent and have not acted even as the beneficiaries are running from pillar to post to get the promised money.

After assuming power, the Samajwadi Party had promised several welfare schemes including the Kanya Vidyadhan Yojna under which Rs 30,000 was to be paid to all girl students who passed class 12.

Akhilesh Yadav gave cheques under the Kanya Vidyadhan Yojna after the UP Board results were announced. But even after several months, many cheques have not been cleared. Cheque bounce cases have been reported from Gorakhpur, Siddharth Nagar, Maharajganj, Kushinagar and Deoria districts of Uttar Pradesh.

According to a student Shaheen Parvin her cheque lapsed as the Central Bank official failed to clear it by the due date. Now she says she has been visiting the school and bank regularly only to be told that the new cheque would be issued soon.

Meanwhile, Khadi and Gramodyog Minister Riyaz Ahmed distributed cheques for Rs 1,000 to 160 flood victims. But when the flood victims tried to encash the cheques, tehsil and bank officials told them they did not have the fund to pay.

Vivek Kumar, a flood victim, said that he travelled 50 km to the bank to deposit the cheque but was told to go back as there was no fund.

According to tehsildar Mohan Pratap Singh his office does not have the fund and he has spoken to bank officials who assured him that the cheques will cleared soon.

After being informed about cheques bouncing, Akhilesh Yadav pulled up the officers and warned of strict action against errant officials.

BSP leader Swami Prasad Maurya targeted the Akhilesh Yadav government saying the government should arrange for food and shelter for the flood victims instead of giving then cheques and forcing them to run from one government office to another.