Rasulpur: The Centre has provided Rs 15.72 crore as cyclone ‘Fani’ assistance for restoration and repair of infrastructure in Jajpur district. About Rs 90 lakh out of this money has been earmarked for repair of damaged schools, but the district administration has allegedly misutilised the amount, said a report.
According to sources, the fund has been distributed among the blocks in the district. It was alleged that unscrupulous officers were trying to misutilise the funds in the name of restoration.
Some crops were affected due to heavy wind and storm. But the roads, schools and houses in the district remained unaffected after the cyclone. However, some dilapidated schools in the district were partially affected.
Initially, the loss assessment of the schools under Rural Development department was sent to the government. But the panchayati raj department later tried to carry out the school repair work. The district administration instructed the technical team of the department to provide the loss assessment in the schools due to the cyclonic storm.
The technical team sought Rs 5 lakh to Rs10 lakh per school. After three months, the government sanctioned Rs 90 lakh for 45 schools in the district. From all schools maximum Rs. 8 lakh was sanctioned for four schools in Laxminagar panchayat.
However, the locals alleged many schools which were in good condition sought funds for repair and restoration. Although Bilipada Nodal School, Brahmanbada Primary School, Jagganathpur Primary School, Laxminagar Nodal School and Chandipur Primary School are in good condition, they demanded money for repair.
According to locals, some schools which were in bad shape before the cyclone, sought funds for repair and were sanctioned amounts by the state government.
The technical team facilitated sanction of funds which were meant to be misappropriated, it was learnt.