Jajpur: A probe into alleged irregularities in disbursal of loans to farmers at the Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS), Markandpur in Jajpur district, has been ordered.
It is alleged that government funds worth lakhs of rupees have been siphoned off allegedly by the secretary of Markandpur PACS by illegally keeping the passbooks of farmers with him instead of returning them.
The matter came to the fore after the deputy registrar, cooperative societies (credit) in Bhubaneswar in a letter (dated-26.10.2021) directed the deputy registrar, cooperative societies, Cuttack II division to conduct a probe and take necessary action. The order was made after a farmer, Ajay Kumar Muduli, affiliated to the PACS, lodged a complaint with the directorate.
The deputy registrar, cooperative societies (credit) has also directed to submit an action taken report to the directorate. This is the second major irregularities taking place in the PACS during last three years.
According to reports, Muduli had taken a loan of Rs 13,000 for Kharif cultivation in 2009. He however, failed to repay the loan owing to various problems. The loan with its interest went up to Rs 17,500. Later, he cleared all the loans along with the interest after the secretary insisted upon him, September 2, 2020.
The secretary, however, instead of giving him a receipt towards clearance of loans mentioned the loan amount of Rs 13,000 along with the interest of Rs 4,500 in his passbook under serial number of 26550. He even kept the passbook with him without returning it.
The secretary even mentioned that he has taken another kharip loan, September 29, 2020 and made him sign in a withdrawal form without even applying for a loan. Later, the secretary withdrew the loan in the name of Muduli and gave him only Rs 10,000
Suspecting foul play, Muduli met the secretary and insisted on giving him back the receipt but the latter refused. Muduli visited the bank and made an enquiry where he found that a loan of Rs 21,600 has been withdrawn from the bank against his name.
On being questioned, the secretary said he will repay the rest of the loan amount and will return all his receipts and loan passbooks once the audit gets completed.
Since then a year has passed, but the secretary is yet to return him the receipts or the passbook. Later, the secretary gave him a new passbook which did not have the signature of the bank supervisor.
It was mentioned that Rs 21,600 had been withdrawn as loan September 19, 2021. It is alleged that the secretary used the old receipts and has mentioned the previous loan to sanction a new loan.
What is more surprising is that the secretary has allegedly collected Rs 1000 from each of the loanee farmers when there is no such provision. Moreover, loans have been sanctioned to the kin of the farmers even if a loan is outstanding on the family.
The secretary has allegedly sanctioned loans in the name of fake farmers who do not have farmland. He has also allegedly sanctioned loans to some of its members by mortgaging their properties which is illegal. Farmers have demanded a special audit into the irregularities allegedly committed by the secretary.
Earlier, the authorities of Markandpur, PACS had siphoned off lakhs of rupees by procuring paddy against the names of four members of a farmer’s family. The then secretary and some PACS officials were suspended after the Orissa High Court directed a probe.
Efforts to contact ARCS Prasant Kumar Mallick over phone failed as he did not respond to the call.
PNN
