Bahraich district: Anomalies found in MGNREGS programmes

The district magistrate,Rigzin Samphel,has asked the project director of District Rural Development Authority (DRDA) to conduct a probe in the matter and submit report by Monday.

The block development officer (BDO) of Mahsi,S Mishra,citing anomalies in one of the villages,said according to the records several development works amounting to Rs 5 lakh in 2009 and Rs 3.6 lakh in 2010 were undertaken in Munsari village of the block. However,the village was badly hit by the floods during this period,he said.

An inspection report by BDO also revealed that during the period when the work is shown to have been undertaken in records,the village was accessible only through boats. Similar anomalies are also reported from four other villages in Mahsi block.

Mishra said,“It is impossible to get roads laid during the floods and yet the contractors were made part payments. Incidentally,the villagers of the area too have refused to have worked on the tasks mentioned in the records during the period.”

Talking to The Indian Express over telephone,Samphel said,“Every year during floods,these villages get marooned and are cut off. If anomalies are proved right,stern action will be taken against those found guilty. Meanwhile,we have stopped all payments and even called for explanation from the panchayat secretaries and gram pradhans of these villages.”