Uproar in lottery for concessions in Bhilwara, dispute over names in ST quota, see exclusive footage, ruckus in the presence of the minister.

A huge ruckus was witnessed during the lottery of concessional residential plot scheme held in Bhilwara, Rajasthan on Thursday. There was chaos in this program organized at the Municipal Corporation Town Hall when the applicants started protesting when the names of some other people were declared in the ST (Scheduled Tribe) quota. The situation became so heated for some time that the police and administration had to intervene. This lottery ceremony was organized in the presence of Urban Development and Housing (UDH) Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra. The minister himself was also present on stage when the applicants began to express their displeasure. Many people alleged that transparency was not maintained in the lottery process and eligible applicants for ST quota were ignored. A total of 3081 residential plots would be distributed in this lottery organized by UIT (Urban Improvement Trust). 88,239 applications were received for it — a clear indication of the popularity of the scheme and the expectations of the people. The objective of the scheme is to provide residential plots at affordable rates to the general public, especially the low and middle income groups. The program started in a peaceful atmosphere. A three-member team from the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) was also present to monitor the lottery process to keep the entire process fair and transparent. But as soon as the names related to ST quota were released, some applicants started raising slogans in objection. The uproar grew to such an extent that the lottery process had to be stopped for some time. According to sources, the controversy was over the fact that the people whose names appeared in the ST category were not actually eligible. Some petitioners alleged that this was done in a “pre-planned” manner and that the department concerned ignored transparency. However, officials say the entire process is computerized and there is no possibility of any human intervention in it. After the commotion, the police were called for safety reasons and efforts were made to calm the people down. Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra, who tried to handle the situation, assured the people present that if there is any mistake regarding any quota or name, it will be investigated. He said that the government’s intention is to provide affordable housing to the eligible people, there will be no injustice to anyone. Despite the uproar, the lottery process was restarted later and completed by evening. Now the list of all the winners will be released on the official website of the Urban Development Authority. Local people say that to maintain transparency in such programs, the administration should monitor them more strictly than before so that such situations do not arise in the future. Share this story Tags