Upputhara panchayat to initiate revenue recovery proceedings against 27

Upputhara grama panchayat in Idukki will initiate revenue recovery proceedings against 27 individuals to recover funds for fraudulently obtaining houses under the LIFE Mission scheme.
An emergency panchayat meeting on Thursday decided to take the revenue recovery proceedings.
Sources said ineligible people in Upputhara obtained LIFE Mission homes during the tenure of the last Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. Communist Party of India (Marxist)) leader and Kattappana block panchayat president V.P. John and Congress Upputhara mandalam president V.S. Shal were among those who obtained houses illegally.
'Mr. John owned 1.5 acres while Mr. Shal sold the house obtained under the LIFE Mission scheme,' said an official.
The Vigilance wing of the Local Self-Government department had found large-scale irregularities in the LIFE Mission housing scheme in the panchayat in 2022. It had also recommended recovery of ₹1.14 crore from individuals who illegally obtained homes.
However, panchayat authorities had only issued a notice to those involved. Last week, the Vigilance wing sought an explanation from the panchayat on the recovery process, prompting the latter to hold an emergency meeting and initiate revenue recovery proceedings.
Sources said the panchayat had prepared a list of 1,200 beneficiaries in 2018, of which 150 were later found ineligible. The Vigilance wing had found that ward members and officials supported the malpractice.
Meanwhile, Upputhara panchayat president James Jacob said the panchayat committee had directed the secretary to initiate revenue recovery proceedings against 27 people. He said 722 homes had already been completed in the panchayat under the LIFE Mission scheme.
Sources said the panchayat would request the Vigilance wing to investigate the eligibility of the 722 beneficiaries who had been handed over houses constructed under the scheme.

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