Akhilesh’s blanket-sari scheme shelved for now

As soon as CM Akhilesh Yadav assumed power in 2012, he announced to roll out the scheme with Panchayati Raj department as the nodal agency. However, Principal Secretary, Panchayati Raj Department, Chanchal Tiwari said: “At present, there is no direction for implementing the scheme. It has been put on hold.”

There was a budget allocation of Rs 200 crore in 2012-13 and another Rs 600 crore in 2013-14.
“We have the funds at our disposal and are waiting for the directions,” said Udairaj Singh Yadav, Director, Panchayati Raj. A formal government order for implementing the scheme was issued on March 19 last year.

Then, in July last year, Akhilesh formed a sub-committee of ministers comprising the then panchayati raj minister, Balram Yadav, Minister for Textiles and Sericulture Shiv Kumar Beria and Minister of State (independent charge) for women welfare and culture Arun Kumari Kori, which held a meeting on July 12 last year and decided that the saris will be distributed in September last year. They, however, failed to do so.

According to initial estimates, each sari would cost Rs 214, which included 10 per cent manufacturer’s margin and 3 per cent surcharge for the implementing agency. Thus, a sum of Rs 1,022 crore will be required to provide two saris to the nearly 2.39 crore beneficiaries. The saris were to be provided to all women above 18 years of age and blankets to senior citizens above 65 years in BPL category, Antodyay card holders and beneficiaries of Rani Lakshmi Bai Scheme.

Earlier, there was a rush among suppliers to provide the saris and blankets. Impostors even tried to dupe suppliers by issuing fake supply orders on behalf of the government to extract money. An FIR was also lodged at Hazratganj police station in this regard.