Nayagarh: Projects being executed under the poverty alleviation scheme Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) have been marred by severe irregularities in this district, a report said. A government employee allegedly withdrawing wages by posing as a job card holder is a case in this point. Locals said that this is just the tip of the iceberg and there are many fake jobcard holders in Nayagarh district
The matter came to fore after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik received some complaints. The irregularities were found to have been done in 2017, 2020 and 2021.
Bhapur BDO Janmejaya Sahu feigned ignorance on the development but assured to speak on the issue latter.
The incident comes amid non-issuance of job cards to hundreds of people who are really eligible to work as labourers under the rural job scheme. However, undue favour is being shown to those who are in government services and are being provided handed over job cards to work as labourers under the poverty alleviation scheme.
These undeserving card holders are withdrawing wages under the scheme without actually doing any work. Moreover, unscrupulous officials and persons with political clout are allegedly embezzling funds under the scheme without actually implementing any project. As a result, the scheme has failed to be successful in Bhapur block. So a majority of the local residents are migrating to other states in search of livelihood.
According to the complaint, Rabindra Behera is a native of Padmabati village and a fourth grade employee at the Rural Water Supply office at Bhapur block headquarters. Sources said he has violated norms and taken a job card in his name in 2008 despite being a government employee. Moreover, a card has also been provided in the name of his wife.
During investigation, Behera was found to have worked as a job card holder in the upgradation of Prahallad College playground at Padmabati in 2017, a farm pond project of a villager Krushna Chandra Sahu in 2020, cattle shed construction of Madhusudan Behera in 2021 and a farm pond project of BJD block women’s president Sailendri Sahu.
It was also found that Behera had withdrawn wages under the same projects in the name of his wife Kamini Sahu.
It was alleged that the couple has withdrawn lakhs in wages by posing as job card holders. When contacted, Behera refused to speak on the issue.
