Cuttack: A probe by the district administration into alleged irregularities in the allotment of government quarters in Cuttack has failed to make any headway after the transfer of the former collector and ADM, a report said Saturday.
The irregularities came to fore in 2016 when over Rs 35-40,000 per month — adding up to around Rs 5 lakh per annum — were allegedly siphoned off in allotment of government quarters in Cuttack. The then collector Nirmal Chandra Mishra ordered for a probe. It is alleged that over 12 employees managed to get quarters allotted in their names through fraudulent methods.
The then ADM (general) Lakshmidhar Mohanty took up the probe and formed a committee. However, after the transfer of the collector and the ADM, the probe failed to make any headway since the last two years.
When contacted, the incumbent collector, Susant Mohapatra, denied any knowledge of the irregularities or the probe but assured to look into the matter Monday. Observers claimed that the irregularities have been going on in the district for the past five years.
However, the district administration has failed to reign in such irregularities due to administrative apathy. As a result, the state government has lost over Rs 25 lakh as revenue in the past five years, reliable sources said.
Sources said that the general and miscellaneous department (G and M) looks after allotment of quarters in the district collectorate. An employee after taking possession of quarters informs the G and M department in writing. Later, the G and M department forwards a letter about the allotment of quarters to the establishment department in the collectorate.
The establishment department then forwards the letter to its sub-section human resources management system (HRMS) which collects the rent for the quarter from the official and cancels the housing allowance he receives from the state government.
However, in an aberration, the officials took possession of the quarters after being allotted by the G and M department but never informed the former on taking possession. It is alleged that they managed to suppress the details on the allotment by conniving with the some staff of G and M department.
It is alleged that two stenographers in the district collectorate have managed to get two officers quarters allotted in their names in Kaligali by such fraudulent methods. Meanwhile, many employees after being transferred or promoted are yet to leave their quarters allotted in their names and have instead let out the quarters to private persons and collecting rent from them.
PNN
