Sonepur: Large-scale irregularities are being allegedly committed in rural housing and MGNREGS projects in Birmaharajpur block of Subarnapur district thanks to lack of administrative monitoring.
Officials at the grassroots level are involved in the irregularities, leading to failure in successful implementation of welfare and developmental schemes.
Owing to irregularities in PMAY (Rural) and MGNREGS, the district administration has served notices on six officials including the BDO.
According to reports, PD (DRDA) Dolamani Patel got evidence of irregularities in the PMAY and MGNREGS at Sangrampur village.
Patel has issued show cause notices to the Birmaharajpur BDO, the block executive engineer, APO, panchayat executive officer, GPTA and GRS. These officials have been asked to clarify within seven days.
The PD has warned of stern action if replies are not sent within a week. Some villagers had drawn attention of the district administration towards irregularities in the PMAY and the MGNREGS.
APD (DRDA) Alok Rashmi Mishra had investigated the irregularities April 12. Some beneficiaries of the rural housing scheme alleged that the GPTA had been harassing them in the matter of geo-tagging of housing units.
Lachhman Mahakur, a villager, alleged that his name was in the SECC priority waiting list for a housing unit, but the GTPA excluded his name from the list.
As a result, he was deprived of the housing unit. His family is living in a shanty. In some cases, housing units have not been completed, but the tagging officer has shown in documents that work has been completed.
A group of job card holders such as Premananda Mahakur, Babaji Mahakur, Harihar Gaigaria, Duryodhan Mahakur and Netrananda Pradhan alleged that they had worked in MGNREGS projects for 59 days, but their wages have not been cleared.
During the probe, it was learnt that Shergad-Budulibahal road has been included in Pradhan Mantri Sadak Yojana, but the project has been included in MGNREGS.
Villagers pointed out that funds sanctioned for the road project under MGNREGS have been misappropriated through false bills twice.
It was also alleged that funds allocated for pond excavation at Hariamunda village in Tamkiadad panchayat have been embezzled.
PNN