Weavers in Prime Minister’s constituency are promised assistance – for Rs 100 bribe

'...A faint glimmer of hope emerged in early May. Application forms were distributed in Bajardiha, with the promise that weavers would get cash assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, the Central government’s relief package announced on March 24. About 350 people filled the form in Bajardiha, said the men. A few days later, a list circulated with the names, addresses, bank account numbers, Aadhaar numbers, mobile numbers of those whose applications had presumably been approved. At this stage, they were asked to pay Rs 100. “We were told adhikari logon ko dena hai, the officials have to be paid,” said Nazmuddin Ansari, a young man in his mid-twenties. “If you give Rs 100, you will get Rs 1,000 every month.”...'