WCD’s Rs 12 lakh for Balgram is yet to reach the children’s home
Child rights activist alleges collusion of govt officials and Delhi-based SOS Children’s Villages India, which didn’t
release funds for Pune home over 3 yrs
Almost four years after its affiliation to Delhi-based SOS Children’s Villages India ended amid a row over a sexual assault
case, Balgram SOS Children’s Village in Yerwada has found itself in another controversy — involving the district women and
child development (WCD) over alleged financial irregularities.
The WCD commisionerate has issued an order to conduct an inquiry into the funds issued by the state WCD ministry. The
orders were issued by the commissionerate after a complaint was raised by a child activist, claiming WCD officials were
hand-in-glove with Balgram SOS Children’s Village and its once parent body, SOS Children’s Villages India, while siphoning
off funds amounting to almost Rs 12 lakh. The order was issued to the WCD divisional commissioner, Pune, to conduct an
investigation and submit a report.
For almost 35 years, Balgram SOS Children’s Home was affiliated to the Delhi NGO and received financial aid from it
annually.
In 2013-14, there were allegations of sexual abuse in the Yerwada home after which SOS Children’s Villages India cancelled
the affiliation and stopped providing financial aid. Also, Balgram SOS Children’s Village, the first of its kind in Pune, is an
aided children’s home that receives aid from the WCD. At present, 126 children — 74 boys and 52 girls — are staying at the
home, which has permission to accommodate 200 children.
Last month, child rights activist Ravindra Jadhav had filed an RTI application with the WCD district officials that had
revealed funds misappropriation. Smelling something amiss, he complained to the WCD commissioner to file a complaint
against the institute and take action. Jadhav said, “Till 2013-14, funds were released by the district WCD office in the name of
‘executive director, Balgram SOS Children’s Village, Yerwada, Pune’. The grant was given till 2014. In the RTI, it was
revealed that after 2014, grants for 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 were released in the name of ‘SOS Children’s Villages
India in Delhi’ or ‘Girija Vallabhan Nair’ (former director till 2016) and ‘Dheeraj Kulkarni’ (accountant). The total amount
goes up to Rs 11,94,235.”
Jadhav said, “This is a clear case of cheating and people have siphoned off the government funds. The Delhi-based institute
has a nexus with the WCD officials and has drawn the money. Officials of the Yerwada institute are also tightlipped and
saying nothing about it which looks dicey. How is it possible that they don’t know anything about it?”
State WCD commissioner Lahuraj Mali clarified, “We have issued an order to conduct detailed investigations in the financial
aid released by the WCD for the Pune home. The inquiry will be conducted in both the institutes and a report submitted to
me. Investigations have been initiated and we cannot say initially whether anything went wrong. Action will be taken against
the guilty and it will be decided after the inquiry.”
P Kotresh, director, SOS Children’s Villages India, Delhi, said, “The allegation against us of cheating the WCD for the aid is
wrong. I am also unaware of any such an inquiry initiated by the WCD against us. We have the administrative responsibility
of the Pune institute with us and we are doing it.”
Ashok Ghadge, executive director, Balgram SOS Children’s Village, Yerwada, said, “I was unaware of any of the aid being
issued by the government for our home. It was only a couple of days ago that I came to know that the funds were released by
the WCD and we have not received it. The Delhi institute has been appointed as administration for our institute since
November 2014; we did not involve ourselves or ask Delhi for any funds.”
? This is a clear case of cheating and people have siphoned government funds. The Delhi-based institute has a nexus with
WCD officials and has drawn the money
— Ravindra Jadhav, child rights activist
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