JOIN USJD(S) state vice president H H Devraj alleged that crores of rupees have been misused by Zilla Panchayat authorities in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
He told reporters on Friday that there are various cases where grants were provided for works which were not sanctioned at all and also cases where payments are made in the names of people who are dead.
Additional payments have been made without carrying out the work. There are lots of errors in the social audit, he said and informed that he has availed all information through RTI Act.
He further said he will submit the complaint to the Lokayukta, Rural Development Minister, chief minister and the district in-charge minister. He demanded an in-depth probe into the alleged misappropriation.
‘Suspicious’
Devraj pointed out that the Zilla Panchayat members not raising the point in the progress review meetings raises speculation over the possible involvement of the members. The misuse of funds is happening since 2016.
Many errors have been spotted in the social audit of 2016-17. Under the MGNREGS, Rs 2.71 lakh has been paid in 45 cases in 11 gram panchayats of Chikkamagaluru taluk; Rs 1.68 lakh has been paid in the favour of dead persons and benami accounts, in 48 cases in eight gram panchayats.
A total payment of Rs 4.77 lakh has been made in 24 cases in seven gram panchayats, for the physical works, after showing more measurement than the actual. It has also been directed in the audit report to recover the additional payments made towards faulty measurements.
Showing the related documents, Devraj pointed out that Rs 16.88 lakh has been paid under MGNREGS in 19 gram panchayats of Chikkamagaluru taluk, Rs 26.60 lakh in 31 gram panchayats in Kadur, Rs 15.98 in 11 gram panchayats in Koppa, Rs9.64 lakh in 15 gram panchayats of Mudigere, Rs 16 lakh in seven gram panchayats of Narasimharajapura, one lakh in four gram panchayats in Sringeri and Rs 7.29 lakh in 15 gram panchayats of Tarikere.
Benami accounts
The vice president added that Rs 2.97 lakh has been paid in favour of dead persons, benami accounts and in the names of those who have not attended to work, in 105 cases in 18 gram panchayats of Kadur.
In similar instances, payments of Rs 68,000 has been made in six gram panchayats of Koppa, Rs 78,000 in four gram panchayats of Mudigere, Rs 1.30 lakh in four gram panchayats of Narasimharajapura and Rs 9,000 in three gram panchayats of Tarikere.
JD(S) leaders Chandrappa, Jamil Ahmed, Jairaj Urs, Ramesh and Holadagadde Girish were present in the press meet.