Thuamul Rampur: Hundreds of villagers from Badaba Phala village in Odisha’s Kalahandi district have accused officials and other functionaries of large-scale corruption in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), alleging that fake muster rolls and bills were used to siphon off crores of rupees.
The villagers from Gopinathpur panchayat under Thuamul Rampur block submitted a written complaint to the block administration Saturday, demanding employment under the scheme and action against those allegedly involved in irregularities. Carrying their job cards, hundreds of beneficiaries reached the block office to press for their entitlements.
As Block Development Officer (BDO) Dhruva Charan Muduli was unavailable, Assistant Programme Officer (APO) Bhakta Sethi received the villagers’ memorandum and assured them that action would be taken by Tuesday.
According to the complaint, local workers have been denied employment in ongoing trigger trench construction works in the village.
The complainants claimed that nearly 900 daily-wage labourers across three wards of Badaba Phala were being deprived of work despite holding valid job cards.
They further alleged that whenever villagers demanded employment, the GRS and village mate refused to provide work, reportedly telling them that their job cards would not be accepted.
The villagers demanded strict action against the officials, saying denial of local jobs had pushed families into distress despite free foodgrain support.
Separately, allegations have surfaced that the village association president contacted media organisations and allegedly offered money to suppress the report. The claim has triggered discussion in the area.
Copies of the complaint have also been submitted to the Kalahandi collector, the project director, the Lanjigarda MLA and the Kalahandi MP.
The villagers warned that they would launch a large-scale protest in front of the block office if the administration failed to act promptly.