SADARAM software misused by DRDA staff in Anantapur

Anantapur: Large-scale irregularities over issuing of physical disability certificates have forced the DRDA authorities to change the system. The SADARAM (Software For Assessment Of Disabled For Access Rehabilitation And Empowerment), used to create a dynamic web-enabled system for comprehensive access, rehabilitation and empowerment, was found to be misused by the staff in Anantapur district.

Even after DRDA project authorities stopped the process of issuing certificates as part of verification, a computer operator had issued more than 850 disabled certificates by misusing the software at Meeseva centres in a couple of months.

Sources said the disability certificates were being issued at Hindupur and Anantapur hospitals after through check on every Thursday. The authorities were sending the certificates at the doorstep of disabled persons after the verification and medical check-up.

The delay in serving the certificates reportedly led the staff to start irregularities.
DRDA project director B. Venkateswarlu, who received complaints from the public, stopped issuing certificates from November till December 24 and also shifted computer operators and staff to work at DRDA office at Anantapur.

Hindupur operator K. Sridhar was also called back to work at the office, instead of hospital counter two months ago. “But, the staff had begun issuing certificates from Meeseva centres by using the ID and passwords of the SADARAM soft ware. More than 850 certificates were issued in two months. Hindupur computer operator Sridhar was suspended for his role,” DRDA project director said.

He added probe was on against the staff at all levels. The project director said the system instead of sending through post, they were now issuing certificates directly to the person on next Thursday to avoid role of middlemen.