Nayagarh: Projects being executed under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) have been marred by irregularities in this district, a report said.
A government employee allegedly withdrawing wages by posing as a job card holder is a case in point. Locals said this is just the tip of the iceberg and there are many fake job card holders under Bhapur block.
The matter came to the fore after complaints were lodged before the Chief Minister. The irregularities were found to have been committed in 2017, 2020 and 2021.
Bhapur BDO Janmejaya Sahu, however, 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 workers 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 service and being handed over job cards to work as labourers under the poverty alleviation scheme.
According to the complaint, Rabindra Behera, a native of Padmabati village and a fourth grade employee rural water supply office at Bhapur block headquarters, has violated norms and taken a job card in his name despite being a government employee.
Moreover, he has also taken a job card even in the name of his wife.
During probe, he 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, a farm pond project of BJD’s block women’s president Sailendri Sahu.
He was also found to have withdrawn wages under the same project in the name of his wife.
PNN
