Imphal, June 23: Serious charges of favoritism and down right violations of guidelines have been leveled from many quarters in drawing up the list of 3007 beneficiaries under the Economic Development Programme by the Minority and OBC Department.

Incidentally the Chairman of the selection committee of the said scheme is MOBC Minister Md Abdul Salam.

Leveling these charges, sources said that though the scheme is meant for people living below the poverty line, a good number of Government employees' relatives and family members have been included in the selection list.

The scheme is meant for the years and 2002-03 and 2003-04 and the names of the selected beneficiaries were announced on May 31 this year.

The 3007 beneficiaries were selected under certain categories.

In 2002-03 the OBC beneficiaries were selected under, Tailoring-133, Water pump set-124, Poultry-284, Passion Fruits-24, Vegetable Programme-60, Mustard Farming-40, Embroidery-51, Wool Knitting1150, Turmeric Farming-40 and Ginger cultivation-40.During this period, minorities were selected under Pump Sets-81, Poultry-280, Passion Fruits Farming-40, Handloom Workshed-32, Potato Farming-40, Mustard Farming-40, Embroidery-50, Tailoring-133, Wool Knitting-150, Ginger Cultivation-40 and Turmeric Fannina-40.In 2002-03 the OBCs were given benefits under Handloom Workshed-100, Embroidery-151, Wool Knitting-99, Pump Sets-45, Tailoring-94 and Passion Fruits Farming-10.In this same period minorities were given benefits under Embroidery-150, Pump Sets-220, Wool Knitting-44, Tailoring-100, Handloom Workshed-100 and Passion Fruits Farming-20.Casting serious aspersions on the process of selecting the beneficiaries, sources said that no field verification was conducted to draw up the list of the selected beneficiaries.

When this reporter demanded a copy of the list of beneficiaries the employees refused to hand over the same explaining that there is strict instruction from the Minister concerned not to give the list to anyone.

MoS for PHED Allaudin had also demanded a list of the' selected beneficiaries but the same was also denied to the Minister, said sources.

Divulging more details, sources said that the selected list contains a number of close relatives of Abdul Salam.

Though details of all the selected beneficiaries such as the name of the father or husband have been given, three beneficiaries whose names appear in serial numbers 9, 13 and 14 do not provide any such information.

This has only added to the general air of suspicion that some hanky panky business was conducted while drawing up the list of the beneficiaries.

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