TURA: Beneficiaries of storm damage from several villages in North Garo Hills on Thursday met the Deputy Commissioner seeking action against the Branch Manager of Kharkutta SBI Branch for delaying the payment of compensation although the amount has already been released by the district authority to the Kharkutta C&RD Block and necessary official work completed by the block.
According to the beneficiaries, an amount of RS 27,87,100/- under the Storm Damage Scheme was released by the district administration to the Kharkutta C&RD Block to be paid as compensation for victims of several villages under the block which included New Wagea’si, Arai Apal, Upper Arai Apal and Gairong Apal. The Kharkutta C&RD Block had on October 10 released a cheque for the amount to the branch manager of the said SBI branch after completing the necessary official work. However, the bank is yet to release the compensation amount to the beneficiaries till date.
“We have asked the branch manager several times to release the amount. However, each time, he makes one excuse or the other which is not satisfactory. If the block has completed all the necessary paper work and even submitted the cheque to the bank, what is preventing the bank from releasing the amount,” the beneficiaries questioned.
The beneficiaries during their meeting urged the deputy commissioner to intervene and take up the matter with the bank official so that there is no more delay in the release of their compensation.