Salary fund diverted to Lohia villages

Fund diversion is not new in Mandi Parishad. The previous BSP regime flouted norms and diverted funds from other heads. The SP government ordered an internal probe into fund diversion in Mandi Parishad. However,it has adopted the same method for Lohia Gram development.

Mandi Parishad has three funds at its disposal— Mandi Vikas Nidhi,Mandi Parishad Nidhi and Kendriya Mandi Nidhi. It realises 2 per cent mandi tax and half per cent cess at its mandis. From the mandi tax income,20 per cent is transferred to Mandi Parishad Nidhi,which is meant for salary and perks of its employees. The cess amount constitutes the Kendriya Mandi Nidhi. The remaining 80 per cent of mandi tax remains in Mandi Vikas Nidhi funds and can be used for development work,construction of link roads and extending advances.

During the BSP regime,Rs 502.45 crore was diverted from Parishad Nidhi to other projects as facilitation for agriculture produce export,running of mango pack house,Ambedkar Gram Samagra Vikas Yojana,construction of new mandis,compensation for natural calamities and accidents.

Director of Mandi Parishad Satyendra Singh admitted that funds were transferred arbitrarily from Parishad Nidhi. “It is true that funds were diverted during the previous regime. Preliminary inquiry points to financial irregularities. Action will be taken against the guilty officials,” said the director. At that time,Indrajeet Saroj was the Minister of Agriculture Marketing and chairman of Mandi Parishad.

This time,CM Akhilesh is the departmental minister and also chairman of Mandi Parishad. But the diversion of funds continues.

In the very first meeting for sanctioning the budget of Mandi Parishad,which was chaired by Akhilesh on April 24,funds under Parishad Nidhi were diverted for purposes not authorised by law. The projects sanctioned include development of infrastructural facilities for farmers of Lohia Villages (Rs 125 crore),construction of 100 electronic weighbridges (Rs 30 crore) and construction at mandis (Rs 70 crore). A total of Rs 315 crore has been diverted from Parishad Nidhi.

“There is no harm in development of Lohia Villages. After all,it is for the benefit of farmers,” the director said. “It is a sort of loan for development in these villages,” he added.