Facts of the case relating to the Press Report in the Indian Express today (17.08.2017) regarding allotment of land to the VAES for Toy Bank for underprivileged children.
“Minister Vijay Goel’s NGO asks for plot, DDA changes norms, layout plan to allot”
About Toy Bank –
Everybody knows the Toy Bank, for the under-privileged children in Delhi, for almost 20 years now.
After the project was successfully run, the Toy Bank was inaugurated formally by the former Prime Minister Shri I.K. Gujral and Shri K.C. Pant on 17th December, 2005.
Mrs. Maneka Gandhi (Ministry of Women & Child Development) inaugurated one office of the Toy Bank at 74 Babar Road, Bengali Market.
Now the Toy Bank under VAES has spread its wings all over India. It has distributed more than five lakh toys till date and presently the status is that it is run in 16 States, with 25 partner schools and 44 NGO partners.
Present controversy –
The present controversy is regarding the allotment of a plot measuring 488 sq.m. to VAES in Gujranwala town after changing norms and layout plan. It was allotted under socio cultural category and for social activities for Toy Bank cum play centre for under privileged children.
FACT:
Initially, the society wanted 1000 sq.mt. plot which could be easily allotted anywhere, but the reason for opting this lesser area (488 sq.mt.) site for this noble cause was that it is surrounded by Jhuggi Jhopri clusters where under privileged children reside. Also, society was already working in this Jhuggi Jhopri area.
The Indian Express printed a totally fabricated story despite of the fact that I had already explained Shri Jay Mazoomdaar and the Editor Shri Raj Kamal Jha all the facts before this story was published as I’m no more the Vice President and active member of the society since 2013 and your facts are incorrect.
It is to be noted here that both of them appreciated the good work being done by the Toy Bank but still they carried out this baseless report which has deeply hurt and demoralized the young Toy Bank workers & volunteers.
Para-wise facts:
CHARGE – Minister Goel is still the Vice President of the society
FACT 1. I resigned from the post of Vice President of the VAES in 2013 itself and the copy of the current/existing Members had been duly sent to the Registrar of the Societies that time. Therefore, the newspaper is wrong in stating that I am the present Vice President of VAES. I am not even active in day to day activities of VAES.
2. The VAES applied for a land in 2013 to DDA fulfilling all the formalities without any exception and also that time I was neither the Rajya Sabha Member nor the Minister in Govt. of India.
CHARGE – Changes in Norms and Layout plan because NGO is closely associated with the Minister
Change of layout plan is a routine activity which is done by DDA on a regular basis.
Moreover, it is wrong to say that the layout plan to allot a plot in the capital which was earmarked for a post office was alloted to an NGO closely associated with the Minister. It is completely baseless allegation.
Please note, in 2003 itself the vacant plot (487.8 sq. m) earmarked for the post office under approved layout plan was proposed to be changed for use of “religious purpose” as socio-cultural activity under socio-cultural facilities in the layout plan.
In fact, the Indian Express report itself confirms that the DDA file says that this plot was earlier recommended for construction of temple as one of the 291 cases cleared in February, 2003. This means that the layout plan was itself changed for temple around 14 years ago. Also, the land was initially allotted to Post Office then it was allotted to Public Education Society for temple.
The Indian Express report also mentioned that Commissioner (Planning) himself said that “Post Office are becoming obsolete and now serve only as savings outlets”. This is probably why the layout plan was changed to allot the land to this Society for this noble cause.Charge : Mandatory sponsorship letter from Govt. not provided.
It is also wrongly stated that the proposal was without a sponsorship. The WCD Ministry duly recommended this noble cause of the VAES and sponsorship letter was duly submitted at that time.
Charge : Toy bank not covered under socio-cultural category.
The plot is duly approved by the Screening Committee while taking into consideration the socio-cultural activities under the social-cultural facilities. Can we say that working constantly for poor children is not a social cause?
Toy bank is working for last 20 years and now operates in 16 states with 44 NGO partners and 25 school partners.
Not a single rule regulation has been violated in this case.
The whole story was incorrect, concocted and sensationalized without the real facts. Mr. Goel said that he will approach the appropriate authority for publishing this false report which has tarnished Mr. Goel’s image. The story lacks facts and is completely baseless.
