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Organized Scam of MGNREGA Funds: Centre must send Independent Observers
Anupam Bhaumik
Organized Scam of MGNREGA Funds:  Centre must send Independent Observers
PHOTO : Only signboards, money spent, but nothing done, where funds gone ? MGNREGA Scam in Maharani, Udaipur

AGARTALA / UDAIPUR, September 10 (TIWN):Long years of one party rule and absence of effective Opposition, many leaders are simply looting lakhs of money allocated by the Centre under various centrally sponsored social development funds. And so many complaints have been raised by different parties about the misappropriation of MGNREGA funds but quite surprisingly State Govt is campaigning to showcase administrative setup in Tripura as model state. During the last three days more than fifty people complained about many cases of clear theft of MNREGA funds under MataBari Block, Udaipur. On Tuesday, TIWN investigating team visited the area and what the team saw, it is quite unbelievable, not just a news but a picture of stealing money in real sense.

The investigating team visited three villages in Holakhet Panchayat under MataBari Block. What the team found? In as many as five places signboards of 'Completion ' of developments projects are seen but literally not a single paisa was spent in any of these places. All these signboards are installed in the midst of jungles and bushes or in such places where no man could have trod on at least for the last two years. The projects of which signboards have been installed are all under MGNREGA during the year 2013.

Let us give details:-

1) Project Name:- Construction of Kutchha Raod from Narayan Debnath House to Rajib Datta House , Work order no- 13-14/21. Total cost of the project is Rs 45295/- with total man days generated 329 days. Completed on 23/08/2013

2) Project Name:- Construction of Katchha Road from Rajib Datta House to Badan Mallik House , Work order no-13-14/21 involving a cost of Rs 32375/- and a total of 329 man days generated. Completion date 23/08/2013

3) Project name:- Construction of Pucca Drain from Bisawjit Datta Land to Biswajit Datta Lake . Total cost Rs 26935/- and 193 man days. Completion date 8/09/2013 . Work order no13-14/92. Completed date 8/9/2103

4) Project Name:- Construction of Katchha road from Debendra Baidya Home to Nepal Debnath House. Work order no-13-14/92 . Total cost Rs 39440/- with 336 man days generated. Completion date 23/8/2013.

5) Project Name : Construction of Katchha Road from Debendra Baidya House to Amal Baidya House. Work order no-13-14/21. Total cost Rs 32275/- with 329 man days. Completion date 23/8/2013.

     The description may seem somewhat odd to some of TRIPURAINFOWAY.com's educated followers. Actually we tried to follow what the sign boards actually show. Interestingly all the five works mentioned here are from the Financial Year 2013-14 and more importantly all these works were completed (?) as the signboards show during the year 2013-14 . Mysteriously the time and date of completion of all these projects too are almost similar. The investigation team met some people of the said locality . And they told TIWN, " No official even came to visit the place and even tried to investigate whether the said works were indeed done. Actually Holakhet Panchayat is a hunting ground of CPI(M) and two leaders namely Ochman Gayen and Gadadhar Das are the mastermind behind these corruption. No one says anything against them because were influential leaders of ruling party( both formerly MataBari Panchayat Sanity members and very close to a heavy weight MLA of Udaipur). and also in CPI(M) Udaipur Divisional Committee's powerful lobby persons. "

     Local people demand that an impartial investigation is necessary from Union Rural Development Ministry under honest officials to find out more and more scams under MGNREGA. Quality of Pictures tagged with this news are poor as the investigating team was not allowed to go closer to these signboards and the pictures were taken from a relatively safe distance. But it is for the interests of the people of Tripura we have focused on this organized scam of MGNREGA funds and went to Holakhet Panchayat area even after knowing that it may lead to many problems to our team.

     Several times questions were asked to Ochman Gayen and Gadadhar Das along with other panchayat members. What reply did the people get? An old man of 75 years told TIWN," Ochman Gayen said that the amount was spent on some other areas and soon construction in the said areas will begin in future. He also threatened not to throw these signboards away. "   

 

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