Chief Minister Maya-wati’s attempt to revive Bundelkhand Divisional Development Corporation (BDDC) to usher development in the backward region has not helped the people.

Instead two party workers — Corporation’s Chairman Ramesh Sharma and Vice-Chairman Tilak Chand Ahirwar have allegedly benefitted from it.

Sharma and Ahirwar draw their salaries and various perks but devote their entire time to the party. While Sharma handles party affair in Jhansi Lok Sabha constituency, Ahirwar has been camping in Bihar to oversee the party arrangements for the Assembly by-elections, party sources said.

Since its revival a year ago, the BDDC has not undertaken any development activity in Bundelkhand, official sources said.

The BDDC was set up in 1970 but was winded up in 1992. Last year, the BSP government revived the corporation and while opposing AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s demand to set up an independent Bundelkhand development authority, Mayawati had said that the BDDC will take care of the region’s development.

To begin with, the state government appointed Sharma and Ahirwar as the corporation’s chairman and vice-chairman.

Both resigned when the BSP fielded them from Jhansi and Jalaun in the Lok Sabha elections. After they were defeated, the government appointed them again to the top two posts of BDDC.

“I am not in a position to give any information about the future plans of BDDC,” said Ahirwar. Chairman Sharma, however, could not be contacted despite several attempts. Sources said the government had placed the BDDC under the administrative control of the Rural Development Department.

... contd.