Sambalpur: Lakhs of rupees sanctioned for a number of projects under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in Kilasama panchayat under Dhankauda block of Sambalpur have been misappropriated, sources pointed out Monday. They also informed that none of the projects have been implemented. Members of Panchayat Surakshya Samiti, a local outfit, took up the issue with the executive officer of the zilla parishad (ZP). They alleged that a total of Rs 99,779 sanctioned for restoration of a road connecting Pradhanpalli to an RD road was embezzled through a forged bill. This also included labourers’ wages to the tune of Rs 30,000. The members alleged that in another case, Rs 91,908 sanctioned for restoration of Talipada road in Pradhanpalli was misappropriated. Similarly, construction of a road from Jharghatipada to Nagaradipa was not carried out.
However, it has been shown that Rs 1.17 lakh has been spent for the project. Funds were also misappropriated regarding the digging of a trench which had already been carried out by the Forest department. However, a contractor’s bill of Rs 2.07 lakh was passed without verifying whether the job had been carried out by the concerned person. In yet another case, Rs 60,580 out of the sanctioned Rs 1.06 lakh fund for BalbaspurBijalpada road has been swindled, it was alleged.