URGENT
Date: November 03, 2009.
To,
Dr. Manmohan Singh,
Honorable Prime Minister of India,
Room No.: 148 B, South Block, New Delhi – 110001.
Subject: (1) An urgent appeal for an appointment at the earliest.
(2) Violation of guide lines under Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Program.
Project Ref: Memo No. 3222(350)/DIC/PMEGP/08-09; and or 3222(300)/DIC/PMEGP/08-09.
Sir,
I had earlier written to you on the above subject pointing out that there is a serious complaint. I am, Shri Debshankar Das, a young IIT Kharagpur Graduate who is searching financial help under Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) and also under the Ministry of MSME, Govt. of India, to implement a solar energy based home lighting in India, a social venture to provide energy services for poverty reduction, for improvement of quality of life of villagers and for the upliftment of the rural area.
I like to state you, how deliberately the authorities of State Bank of India and other concerned authorities in West Bengal had violated the PMEGP guide lines and victimized me with malafide intention to gain their vested interests and to gain the vested interest of unscrupulous local politicians and mentally tortured me during the last 18 months and finally out rightly rejected my techno-economically viable project proposal on solar energy based lighting system, which is a renewable energy project. In addition, this project has economic necessity and social viability.
This project is expected to play a crucial role in achieving the solar mission of 15,000 mw under the Prime Minister Climate Action Plan. That is imperative with the planning commission projecting a capacity addition of 6.5 lakh mw from thermal, nuclear, hydel and gas by 2030, leaving a deficit of 1.5 lakh mw that only solar energy can meet.
This is about Rs. 220 cores scam in respect of Bank Sanction under PMEGP (Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme) Scheme in west Bengal (19 Districts), where the violation of guidelines and improper procedure were followed to sanction government funds. Out of this Rs. 220 cores Central Government PMEGP subsidy fund is about Rs. 55.14 cores and rest about 165 cores fund disbursed from bank. The entire process was operated through “Improper Proceedings” and in violation of PMEGP laid “Guidelines”. An evil nexus is working there. Our great nation has been challenged.
In this connection I wish to draw your attention to the Office Order No. 2027 dated 1st October, 2008 and the PMEGP guide lines in which it has been categorically mentioned that all the applications which fulfill the criteria will be forwarded by KVIC/KVIB/DIC to the respective District Task Force Committees within seven working days. In terms of the said order, therefore, any PMEGP application is required to be considered by the District Task Force Committee alone and not by any Sub-Committee. But, in West Bengal, applicants interviewed by the Sub-Committee. The formation of the Sub-committee was envisaged with an objective to legitimize the illegally selected beneficiaries who allegedly were already short listed by the local political body of the district in entire West Bengal.
The officials of State Bank of India (SBI) demanded MONEY and other things as gift from me for sanctioning my project proposal “SOLAR HOME SYSTEMS” which is a renewable energy project. But I did not fulfill their demand. The concerned authorities of the State Bank of India harassed me for about last one and half year (since April, 2008). Finally, in spite of obtaining approval from the District Task Force Committee (DTFC), Purba Medinipur District, West Bengal, under PMEGP scheme, Govt. of India, my Project Proposal which is sponsored by KVIC (Khadi and Village Industries Commission) under the Ministry of MSME of Govt. of India has been out rightly rejected without giving any authentic and valid reason by the STATE BANK OF INDIA, Jeevan Deep Branch, in violation of the PMEGP guidelines.
I therefore request that the State Bank of India must be directed to disburse money of fund for the KVIC sponsored project “Solar Home Systems” under PMEGP (Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Program) Scheme form Jeevan Deep Branch (Branch Code: 3762), State Bank of India, as an early date.
Please have a look on the genuine demand of a young IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Kharagpur, graduate searching financial help under PMEGP (Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Program) Scheme, Govt. of India. Although a person who passed class VIII can be eligible to apply under PMEGP Scheme for financial assistance to setting up of project costing above Rs. 10 lakh in the manufacturing sector, but being an IIT Kharagpur graduate I have not been selected for sanction of my captioned project “Solar Home Systems” (a renewable energy project) under PMEGP according to the evaluation of the concern authorities. This is an arbitrary decision. Shri Jayanta Kunar Sinha, then the Chief General Manager, Bengal Circle, State Bank of India, Local Head Office, Kolkata and Shri Ashok Kumar Talukdar, then the Assistant General Manager, SME-II, Local Head Office Kolkata, are mainly responsible for this grave matter.
The entire selection process in west Bengal under PMEGP follows the violation of guidelines and improper procedures. I was the only applicant under PMEGP in West Bengal who has B. Tech. degree from IIT (India Institute of Technology). The PMEGP subsidy fund allocation for Purba Medinipur District, West Bengal, is about Rs. 3.00 cores. There are 19 districts in west Bengal and total amount of PMEGP fund allocation for West Bengal is about Rs. 5513.74 lakhs (i.e. about Rs. 55.14 cores) as per letter dated 24th February, 2009 by Shri Dinesh Rai, the Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, Udyog Bhawan, New Delhi- 110011. The subsidy structures for PMEGP are @ 15%, 25% and 35% of total Project cost. The owner contributions are @ 10%, 5% of total Project cost. A total amount of about Rs. 220 cores was sanctioned from Bank under PMEGE through “Improper Proceedings” and in violation of “Guidelines”.
I am focused on the half billion people (approx. 100 million households) in India who use 5 – 10 liters per month of kerosene for home lighting, which generates 15 – 30 million tones of CO2 per year. The Government of India loses $ 15 billion per year in kerosene & LPG subsidy. Each liter of kerosene generates 2.6 Kgs of Carbon Dioxide. Carbon Dioxide is a major greenhouse gas and contributes to global warming. Almost 1.6 billion people in the world use kerosene.
India achieved one of the highest GDP growth rates in the world. But, in India, the world’s largest democracy, not every one is equally fortunate; more than 400 million Indian are still prey to lighting poverty, and 55 percent of Indian’s Rural Homes are still yet to be electrified and 93 percent of Indian’s kerosene using homes are in the village. Solar energy will take for India to bridge this great divide. Indian villagers will get higher quality of life, clean water to drink, fresh air to breathe and a green earth to walk on.
The benefits of Solar energy are: Health & Safety, Local Business Opportunities, Economic Development & Poverty Reduction, Education & Literacy, Equality, Reducing Migration, Environmental Savings, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Increase savings due to non use of Kerosene.
As per the PMEGP Scheme, the maximum cost of the project/ unit admissible under manufacturing is Rs. 25 lakhs and the Cost of Project submitted by me as “Solar Home Systems” was Rs. 24.14 lakh. My contribution as Beneficiary was 5% of Project Cost and the balance 95% of the project cost is to be funded by the sanctioning bank and the bank shall disburse full amount suitably for setting up the project. Out of the total cost of the project 35% of fund shall be subsidized of by the KVIC as the project falls under rural area category. The amount of the Bank Credit will be 60% of total project cost after deducting 35% of margin money (subsidy).
The project of Rs. 24.14 Lakhs will be entitled to ‘Guarantee Cover’ under CGTMSE Scheme also under Ministry of MSME of the Government of India to avail of bank credit without the hassles of collaterals / third party guarantees which is a major source of support to the first generation entrepreneurs to realize their dream of setting up a unit of their own Micro and Small Enterprises (MSE). The Guarantee cap for this project is within the limit of Rs. 62.50 lakh.
For the above bank credit of 60% of total project cost (Rs. 24.14 lakh) the guarantee cover available under the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprise (CGTMSE) scheme of the Government of India is to the extent of 75% of the sanctioned amount of the credit facility, with a maximum guarantee cap of Rs.62.50 lakh.
Therefore my humble submissions before your kind intervention for the early disbursement money of fund for the KVIC sponsored project “Solar Home Systems” under PMEGP (Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Program) Scheme form Jeevan Deep Branch (Branch Code: 3762), State Bank of India, after fulfilling all the necessary formalities as an early date along with appropriate compensation without prejudice to my rights and contentions. At the same time please advise the concerned officers to initiate necessary steps against responsible persons who victimized by their acts of vested interests against national cause and concern. Please give us ambiance where we can work honestly and without fear, let there be rule of law.
I therefore duly request your goodselves to take appropriate steps against responsible persons as per the law of the land and help me to start this SOLAR PROJECT.
I am an unemployed young Engineer from IIT, Kharagpur. I have old parents and two unmarried sisters to look after at home. Till date, I did not get sanction from the bank under PMEGP and also under CGTMSE, which has made my life socially and economically very precarious. Please help me and my family.
I therefore request your goodselvs to take all necessary actions to prevent atrocities to protect our constitutional rights and the rights to lead proper live and save me and my family.
I would be obliged if you please grant me an appointment and would be happy to come and personally discuss this matter with you.
Thanking You,
Yours faithfully,
(Debshankar Das)
S/o: Shri Adhar Chandra Das.
Vill + P.O. Harinbari, P.S. Sagar,
District- South 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
Pin Code - 743373.
Mobile: +919831057381
Solarin.tech@gmail.com
I am now in Delhi.
(I can be reached at 09831057381).
