Nuagaon: Lakhs of rupees have allegedly been embezzled through MGNREGS in Nuagaon area of Nayagarh district.
What is surprising is that projects under the rural job scheme have been done on a patch of land belonging to the endowment department, a report said.
Locals have alleged that a huge scam has been committed at different places of Mahipur panchayat where funds meant for pond excavation and road construction have been misappropriated.
They alleged that all such irregularities were committed in the knowledge of local sarpanch, panchayat executive office and a junior engineer while the BDO is sitting pretty cool over the scam.
“When the poor and the landless have been suffering a lot for lack of work scope at the pandemic times, the rural job scheme is being scuttled deliberately to loot public funds,” they said.
As per government guidelines, if any development work is to be done on government or pasture land, permission of the revenue department is taken.
A contractor has dug a pond and built a road on the land of endowment department with the help of the block administration, it was alleged.
Local people have blamed the block administration for all such illegalities. They have demanded an investigation into the scam and action against those involved in it.
Rs 8 lakh was spent for renovation of Kusum Dhipa pond while the excavated soil of the pond was used for road construction at Patulisahi, it was alleged.
Rs 3.54 lakh was sanctioned for the road project.
When contacted, BDO Pramod Kumar Nayak said development work can be done on government land, but permission of the revenue department is necessary.
“I will look into the allegation,” he added.
PNN