Telkoi: The MGNREGS Act aims at enhancing the livelihood security of people in rural areas by guaranteeing hundred days of wage-employment in a financial year to a rural household, whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
It is learnt that the MGNREGS job cardholders are being neglected in Telkoi block. Allegedly, a village pond in the Akula panchayat headquarters of Telkoi block had been renovated under the MGNREGS at a cost of Rs 5 lakhs, in which the excavation job was carried out through a JCB machine ignoring the guidelines of MGNREGS.
It is also being planned to prepare bills by using the finger prints of job cardholders. Illegal nexus between departmental engineers and contractors have become instrumental in misappropriating the fund, it is alleged.
However, about 15 job cardholders including Kalia Ranasingh, Hemanta Mahakud, Kapila Nayak, Sadananda Behera, Dileswar Mahakud and Kailash Nayak have put up the matter before the local Block Development Officer and appealed for his intervention.
When contacted, departmental engineer B. Swain said, “Under the MGNREGS, wage money is deposited in the bank account of beneficiaries through muster roll. However, the allegation of using JCB machine for excavation work will be investigated and necessary action will be taken accordingly”.
PNN