Hyderabad: Many people faced difficulties when they visited the Praja Palana centers in Hyderabad to submit their applications. The local authorities have now announced a schedule for submitting applications based on the different areas. On the first day, some people were turned away because they didn’t come on their scheduled date. They have been asked to visit the offices on the correct date.
Some people complained that they didn’t receive the application forms in advance, as promised by the State government. Others struggled to fill out the forms because they were only available in Telugu. It would be helpful if the forms were also available in Urdu and English. There was also confusion regarding ration card issues.
In some centers, like Jeedimetla, Kompally, Secunderabad, Kukatpally, and Charminar, officials only accepted applications from specific areas on designated dates. The schedule for each area is displayed at the centers. Additionally, in centers like Shaikpet, Jubilee Hills, and Malakpet, photocopies of the application forms were not accepted. Original printouts were required instead. This lack of clarity led to some senior citizens, who already receive pensions, submitting new applications.
Unfortunately, some local leaders took advantage of the situation and charged Rs 500 to locals, promising that their applications would be approved. Certain photocopy shops also charged Rs 40 for black and white printouts and Rs 80 for color printouts.
Many people expressed their confusion and frustration. Sravani, who wanted to apply for a double-bedroom house scheme, said there was no official notice regarding ration cards. Rahul Rao, a resident of Secunderabad, said that no forms were available when it was his turn after waiting in line for hours. Amina Begum, a resident of Malakpet, had to pay Rs 80 for a color copy because black and white forms were not accepted.
Sai Teja from Nizampet shared that local leaders were extorting money from innocent locals by falsely claiming that ration cards were mandatory for the application. According to GHMC officials, there are 600 counters in 150 wards, with 10,000 staff members working on the program. So far, 17,3262 applications have been received for Abhayahastam and 20,714 applications for other programs. The number of households covered is 239,739.
