The
New Indian Express: Vellor: Thursday, 04 September 2014.
The Nagal
panchayat president and the officials have reportedly siphoned off several lakh
of rupees by falsely adding the names of those dead, government employees,
college students and non-existing people in the master roll of the Mahatma
Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in the last two years.
Exposing the
irregularities in implementing the MGNREGS by obtaining information under the
Right To Information (RTI) Act, the functionaries of AAP demanded stern action
against panchayat president Jayanthi, her husband Balasettu and officials
aiding them in swindling the funds of the Central and State government schemes.
The panchayat
president and corrupt officials roped in the names of the dead people for works
taken up under the MGNREGS in the panchayat.
“We found the
names of around 50 people, including those dead, government employees,
non-resident of the villages in the master roll. Fake job cards have been
created to misappropriate the fund,” said member of the State Campaign
Committee of AAP, Jayaram Venkatesan.
Citing the
information availed under the RTI Act from the Block Development Office of K V
Kuppam, Tamilarasan of Nagal panchayat said, A Gajendran (died on April 7,
2010), V Ashok Kumar (died on January 2012), Lokammal and Madhuria (noon meal
workers) names were prominently found in the master roll.
“The reports
shows that Gajendran had been paid Rs 6,438 for working under the MGNREGA
scheme in the year 2012. That is two years after he died,” said Tamilarasan,
showing the death certificate of Gajendran, who died on April 7, 2010.
Similarly, a
Rs 7,000 had been paid in the name of Ashok Kumar after his death in January
2012.
“The
officials and panchayat presidents have also taken money in the name of
government staff. There are more than 40 names, who are not residents of the
village. On each name, payments ranging from Rs 1,500 to Rs 10,000 have been
made in the last two years. We have submitted a petition along with evidences
(photocopies of fake job cards and payment details) to the district
administration,” said Tamilarasan.
Corruption is
prevalent to the core in the panchayat and officials were hand-in-glove with
the panchayat president, claimed K Chandra Sekar of the panchayat. “The
panchayat president demanded Rs 20,000 as bribe to release the funds under the
IAY scheme. Since, I was not able to pay the amount, the president is holding
back the fund,” he said.
The Project
Officer of Directorate of Rural Development Agency N Srinivasan has been
conducting an inquiry into the irregularities.
“The inquiry will be soon completed and suitable action will be taken
regarding the complaints,” said the Project Officer.
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