Post News Network
Paradip, May 29: Over Rs 1 crore sanctioned for the development of the fishermen of Bijaychandpur here in Jagatsinghpur district has been allegedly siphoned.
Officials of fishery department, bank staff and a builder have jointly siphoned off the money, over 40 beneficiaries of the village alleged.
Fifteen fishermen lodged a complaint with local police in this regard Friday. In retaliation, Rabin Biswas, chief of Rajdeep Marine Body Builders of Paradip, also allegedly lodged a complaint with the police.
Despite complaints from both parties, the police are yet to register a case. Some beneficiaries including Parimal Sarkar, Panchanan Dhali, Banamali Das, Dilip Kumar Routray, Manoranjan Mandal alleged that Rabin took their signatures, thumb impressions on some papers and photographs promising financial assistance from the government.
However, Rabin said he just tried to help the poor fishermen. “But they have instead lodged a complaint against him,” Biswal added.
Though some of the fishermen received money ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000, they recently found that bank loans of Rs 1.35 lakh to Rs 1.85 lakh were sanctioned in their names in 2013 for distribution of boats and fishing nets.
The loans included a subsidy amount of Rs 1 lakh and the bank authorities are now trying to recover the amount from the beneficiaries, the fishermen said.
Officials of several nationalised banks including Canara Bank, Bank of India and Indian Bank are involved in the misappropriation, they alleged.
According to the fishermen, bank authorities and officials of fishery department have been asking the beneficiaries to come with the builder to know about their loan details.
Fishery officer Biraja Prasanna Mohapatra said he was not in charge when the incident happened. The fishermen have demanded a CBI probe into the case.
