Bhadrak: Days after Orissa Post reported the alleged bungling of stipends to the tune of lakhs of rupees through forged caste certificates in some private engineering institutions in Bhadrak, the district administration started an investigation into the matter Friday.
The administration has also installed CCTV cameras at the welfare department office housed in the 3rd floor of the collectorate.
ADM-cum-Collector-in-charge Shyambhakt Mishra has issued stern warnings to all the block welfare officers (BWOs), stating that they should ensure no stipend money meant for ST/SC students is bungled.
As part of the probe, a team of officials led by district welfare officer Jayant Kumar Jena raided a private engineering college on the outskirts of Bhadrak town Friday.
The team seized several documents related to a number of students who have applied for stipends and received stipends.
Official sources said 8,313 post-matriculation students (SC) of 143 government and private educational institutions have been provided stipend of Rs 9.50 crore in 2018-19 academic year.
Besides, 822 students (ST) of 64 colleges in the district have received stipends to the tune of over Rs 1.90 crore in the same academic year.
It was reported that scores of students had furnished forged caste certificates while genuine students were deprived of their entitlements.
Even some people have grabbed teacher jobs by producing forged certificates, it was alleged.
In the absence of official verification, such illegal teachers go scot-free.
The issue came to fore after some youths sought information about the illegality from the district education department through RTI.
Reports said within the last month, two teachers were found guilty of committing forgery and were dismissed from service in the district. Two cases were filed at police stations against the teachers.
Last year, the administration had arrested nine teachers after their documents and credentials were found to be forged.
Two months ago, the school and mass education department had directed all the district administrations to verify certificates of all teachers. All the block education officers of Bhadrak were supposed to carry out the verification.
It was learnt that even certificates of 30 per cent of teachers have not been verified till date while verification in case of some teachers was a gimmick.
As certificates of many are deliberately not put through strict scrutiny, such ‘teachers’ get away with salaries and other benefits for years.
Students of some closed and running educational institutions are bungling stipends by producing forged SC/ST certificates.
Though the welfare department is flooded with complaints about forged caste certificates, the department is allegedly taking no action against the forgers.
Mishra said efficient welfare officers were engaged to verify documents.
After the verification of documents, legal action will be taken against the corrupt officials, private educational institutions and students.
Cases will be filed against those found guilty, said the district welfare officer.