Pottangi: Funds under the state government’s ‘Ama Odisha, Nabin Odisha’ scheme have been sanctioned to a school which has been shut down after its merger with a nearby school under Pottangi block in Koraput district, a report said Saturday.
The scheme aims at taking up measures to augment rural infrastructure for accelerated growth and transformation of villages. This has kicked up a row as Rs 5 lakh was sanctioned under the programme to Sitampadu New Primary School at Sitampadu village under Ralegada panchayat of Pottangi block despite its closure after merger.
The state government had decided to shut down the state-run schools having low enrolment and merge those with nearby schools. Accordingly, several schools were shut down in the process and merged with other schools nearby.
Accordingly, Sitampadu New Primary School also met with the same fate following its merger with nearby Tangini School.
However, sanction of Rs 5 lakh from the state government for the renovation of Sitampadu New Primary School under ‘Ama Odisha, Nabin Odisha’ scheme has started a row.
After reports surfaced, block vice-chairperson Trinath Kata wondered whose interest is being safeguarded and alleged that government funds have been siphoned off in past — not once but several times — by announcing projects on the pretext of development by ignoring the local public representatives like sarpanches and samiti members.
He demanded a high-level inquiry into the projects undertaken during the stint of former block development officer (BDO). Rs 7 crore has been sanctioned to undertake developmental works in 14 panchayats under this block under the scheme, he said. However, he alleged that these funds are being misappropriated. Some influential politicians have managed to sanction funds and are implementing the projects by themselves ignoring the elected sarpanches and samiti members, he alleged.
In the panchayats where there are no ruling party representatives, the elected sarpanches and samiti members are being ignored and funds are being spent, locals alleged.
Zilla Parishad member Tikai Gemel alleged that the state government is being defamed due to wrongdoings of some their public representatives.
When contacted, Assistant Engineer Biswanath Madali said the district Collector has stalled the implementation of the projects approved for the panchayats under ‘Ama Odisha, Nabin Odisha’ programme. Projects aimed at development of religious shrines are only being implemented, he added.
PNN