Urban Governance
India’s urbanisation is progressing at an unprecedented pace, with the number of statutory towns growing significantly in recent years.
Eighty four year old Nazar Ali Khan was declared as a ‘dead man’ in the government records and it took four years to convince the officials that he’s still alive. By the time his ration and old age pension served to the marginal persons by the state have already been barred by the Sub-Divisional authorities in Khatra here. Neha Banerjee, SDM, Khatra said today: “It’s a serious lapse on part of the local Panchayat authorities.
We’ve inquired about it and now the matter has been moved further to ensure the entire government facilities and services meant for the common people to be made available to him by next week.” Nazar – a marginal farmer of Kankata village in Simlapal block, in 2020 received a jolt first after the local Ration shop denied him ration on the plea that ‘he’s a dead man.’ Nazar said: “Initially I guessed the shop owner was joking. Then he continued depriving me on the same plea.
I went to the local Panchayat but they said that I don’t exist in the government records any longer.” Then, he said: “My pension was withdrawn putting me into further trouble.” He added: “I had to run from post to pillar to establish that I didn’t die. Even in last Duare Sarkar camp I screamed for help but they said that the Panchayat must certify that I was alive.”
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Nazar then visited the office of the BDO, Simlapal last week. How this happened, asked, one senior executive with the district administration explained: “He didn’t turn up for a life certificate at the local Panchayat office and so the former board, by mistake had assumed that he died, which went on record.” The SDM, Neha Banerjee inquired the matter with Manas Chakraborty, the BDO today. The SDM said: “The BDO has been asked to expedite the matter and regularity his dues.”
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