Bihar govt brings middlemen to book

After corrupt officials, the Bihar government has cracked down on middlemen who indulged in misappropriation of government funds.

Taking severe action, the state government has approved a proposal to confiscate the properties of two middlemen in Araria district, said Bihar police chief Abhyanand on Saturday.
"It is the first such move in Bihar when ill-gotten property of middlemen, non-government men, will be confiscated," he said.

According to district police officials, the process of confiscation of properties of the middlemen - Rudranand Jha and Rampukar Choudhary - has begun. The two are accused of shiphoning off Rs 30 crore from the government's Indira Awas Yojana funds between 2001 to 2008.

Purnia DIG Amit Kumar said the district administration will confiscate their 22 plots after a court order. Making his stand clear on corruption, CM Nitish Kumar said the government has initiated several measures to eliminate middlemen in disbursal of funds under the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) meant to build houses for the poor.
 
Last year in August, a Mahadalit man, his wife and three children committed suicide in Aurangabad district after being harassed and cheated of money by a middleman. The incident shed light on rampant corruption in the implementation of the scheme.