Kalimela: Irregularities in watershed projects under Kalimela block in Malkangiri district came to the fore during an annual public hearing. This included absence of signages furnishing work details and cashew plants at plantation sites of different panchayats.
Plantation programmes were allegedly carried out by the integrated tribal development agency (ITDA) at Binayakpur village of Motu panchayat in three phases. In fact, a bill was raised amounting to Rs 30,87,955 without the actual execution of work order.
According to reports, a block level annual public hearing of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) was conducted on the block office premises Monday.
Project director Birasen Pradhan reviewed various social welfare works at the public hearing in presence of about 200 MGNREGS beneficiaries from over 23 panchayats of Kalimela block which was chaired by block programme officer Sabyasachi Das.
Block chairperson Mala Madhi, district social auditor Subrat Samal, social activist Jibankrushna Das, block social auditor Sujata Biswas, people’s representatives of local-self bodies and village resource persons (VRPs) also participated in this public hearing.
How the bill payment for such a huge amount was made online without preparing a muster roll should be enquired, MGNREGS beneficiaries strongly demanded.
Moreover, community centres constructed at different panchayats under MGNREGS programme, community ponds, private ponds, cowsheds, construction of anganwadi centres, paddy mandis, roads, repair of play grounds were also reviewed.
During the hearing, some gram rozgar sevaks (GRSs) and other officials were found guilty for their negligence of duty and penalised between Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000, at the Pallisabha.