Officials on a scam-chase make a U-turn after locals protest

VILLUPURAM: Not all scams are alike. Officials may struggle to retrieve money swindled by booze tycoons and diamond merchants, but they sure know how to tackle the common man, when he becomes the beneficiary of a large scam. Kollur villagers who came to collect their Pongal dole of Rs 2,500 and goody bag from the ration shop were in for a shock. For most of them, the happiness in receiving the cash was short-lived.       

Just as they stepped out of the shop, they were confronted by officials who took away `1,000 from those who allegedly were fake beneficiaries of the PM-Kisan Scheme. The PM-Kisan scheme scam was detected earlier last year in the State, where ineligible villagers got money meant for farmers after giving a share to internet centre operators and officials.

Officials had been cracking down on illegal beneficiaries in the Kollur village since Monday. On Wednesday, however, the issue got out of hand after the villagers protested for forcing them to give `1,000. Facing stiff opposition, the officials left the venue and stopped the collection of money. Interestingly, when contacted by Express, officials said they had given no such orders to any of the employees. “We have already assigned staff to collect cash by visiting the homes of fake beneficiaries.”