Keonjhar: People’s representatives have alleged large-scale irregularities in Maidankel panchayat in Keonjhar district and accused the panchayat extension officer (PEO) of not consulting them while implementing various welfare schemes and projects. They submitted a memorandum to the PD of the DRDA in this regard.
In the complaint, the people’s representatives said the panchayat meetings are held only once in three or four months and at that time the PEO would tell them to sign in the resolution book without any content in it. “We are threatened of not getting our meeting allowances if we do not put signatures,” they said.
Further, the people’s representatives said that the PEO is not informing them about the government schemes and funds and even official communication.
Though a decision had been taken at the panchayat meeting to deliver PDS items to people through ward members, some influential people are doing the job instead.
As a result, the entire PDS has been rigged with irregularities, they lamented. If they ask for information about the schemes and funds, they are ill-treated, the representatives alleged. Many elderly persons are deprived of pension while people ineligible for social security scheme are paid pension, they rued.
Ward members are not taken into confidence when beneficiaries are selected for pucca houses and PMGSY scheme, they alleged. However, the PEO Sanjay Kumar Mohant has denied these allegations.
People’s representatives Mamata Mohapatra, Droupadi Mohant, Minakshi Munda, Pratap Nayak, Manjula Patra and Gangadhar Nayak forwarded a copy of their complaint to the Panchayati Raj Department.
PNN