Foreign funds to promote Raman image?

Sep 08, 2011 - Rabindra Nath Choudhury |

Age Correspondent

Raipur

A European Commission sponsored welfare scheme, which got mired in corruption, has been used to promote chief minister Raman Singh’ image in Chhattisgarh, dismaying the Opposition parties here.

The `5.60 crore programme has been launched a couple of years ago to provide school bags free of cost to nearly two lakh school students in the state.
The entire cost of the scheme was borne by European Commission.
Much to the chagrin of the Opposition parties, the school bags were affixed with chief minister’s photograph, apparently to promote his image among people. Questions were raised if it was appropriate for the government to carry chief minister’s photograph in these bags, provided under a scheme funded by an international organisation.
“The schools bags were used as campaign materials by the government to boost the sagging image of the chief minister. It amounts to misappropriation of foreign assistance by the Raman Singh government,” Congress MLA Mohmmed Akbar alleged here on Wednesday.
He demanded that the school bags be immediately withdrawn.
Former chief minister Ajit Jogi Jogi demanded institution of a probe by a house committee to unearth the alleged scam.

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