Jajpur: Utilisation of the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) fund has been in a mess amid allegation that the Rural Development Department has bungled over Rs 1 crore worth of projects in Jajpur. They were meant for development of road and government buildings in the Kaliapani area in the RD department.
Officials and engineers of the department have allegedly botched up various projects in the area.
Reports said, in the last three years, the Jajpur Rural Development Division has been allocated Rs 27.98 crore for 22 projects. However, the department has failed to submit utilization certificates for fund to the tune of over Rs 3.66 crore.
Surprisingly, funds have not been allocated for two projects, but the department has submitted utilization certificate for Rs 1.21 crore, it is learnt.
The government has formed DMF to carry forward development in the mineral-rich areas of Kaliapani. But it has allegedly taken a back seat, causing resentment among people.
When malnutrition deaths came to the fore in Nagada, the government had laid stress on road connectivity to the hilltop village.
The DMF authorities had sanctioned Rs 12.81 crore to lay a road from Ashokjhar to Lower Nagada. The Rural Development Department has submitted utilization certificates for over Rs 10.96 crore.
The quality of the road project came into question after the concrete patches came out of it just two years after its construction.
The contractors have messed up the work to mint money, it is alleged. Now, Juanga tribals find it difficult to use the road. Road side drains have bunged up while the road is likely to be washed away by heavy rains in the coming days.
With this DMF fund, several other projects – Sukinda PHC ward building, Duburi new PHC building, Gobardhanpur PHC building, Mangalpur-Ampoloba road, Deogan and Chungudipal sub-stations, Tisco Gate-Deogan road, colony for Mankidia tribals at Kusumdia.
A sum of Rs 1.59 crore had been sanctioned for Mankidia Colony, but the authorities concerned have not submitted the utilization certificate for the fund.
What is most surprising is that the authorities have submitted unutilisation certificates of Rs 91.48 lakh sanctioned for R&B road to Bartanda and Rs 29.82 lakh for R&B road to Barbanki, without funds being allocated.
However, Bijay Kumar Moharana, executive engineer of the Jajpur rural division, said that there has been no truth in mis-utilisation of DMF fund while works are being done as per the estimates.
PNN