Corruption is the cancer that is eating into the vitals of Tamil Nadu politics and administration. This is the gift of the parties who have been alternately ruling the state for the last 53 years.
Corruption has become rampant in every sphere of administration. Latest one is the malpractices unearthed in PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. Tiruvarur, Salem, Cuddalore and one by one, so far in 14 of the 38 districts the fraud has been perpetrated. On September 8, Agriculture Secretary in the State government put the swindled amount at Rs. 110 crores. Though the Central government flagged off the issue four months before in May itself, the State administration has woken up two days before only after BJP State leadership delegation submitted memorandum to every District Collector on Monday, September 7. The State government has ordered CB-CID to investigate and more than 50 officials of various designations have been suspended.
Earlier, 6 months before there were many reports about frauds identified in PM Awaas yojana, that is low cost housing scheme meant for lower income groups. In fact, in one of the districts, the officials concerned openly defied Collector’s orders and refused to hand over the keys of the constructed houses to the intended beneficiaries. What was the officials’ grievance? What else? Their palms were not greased.
One more row has been kicked up by DMK leader Stalin this week. It is regarding Jal Shakti scheme – that aims to make potable drinking water available to village households. As against the Central government’s guidelines, Tamil Nadu State government is routing the scheme through the District administration instead of the village panchayat. Stalin is crying hoarse not out of any love towards the general public. His lament is born out of the loss in the cut suffered by his party members heading the village panchayats. (Irony here is, DMK when in power would want every scheme to be routed through State government and protest against empowering the village panchayats).
We can recall here that two months ago in Bharat Net scheme (taking optical fibre connection to villages) also deviations in tendering were pointed out. Centre had to intervene and stop the State government from proceeding to allot the contracts. The result is delay in improving the village administration, enhancing the transparency, accountability, reaching education and health related projects to villages, etc.
These are just few of the cases that have been reported in the media in recent times. We can see corruption practically in every field. Just to quote one case which impacts every citizen is with regard to land records. Unlike many other states, land records digitalization has not been completed and even in pockets where it has been partially completed there are many inaccuracies and frauds reported. Instructions such as making the Encumbrance Certificates available online and purchasers of the land getting the patta immediately on completion of the registration formalities remains only on the paper.
When AIADMK is in power, DMK will shed copious tears and accuse the ruling party of ‘Corruption, Commission and Collection’. When DMK is in power, it will be AIADMK’s turn. Thus, both of them have mastered the Art of Money Making. This is the best example of shadow boxing and sabre rattling.
