Inquiry ordered to probe corruption in procurement of items to labourers

The inquiry came after Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Kailas Patil raised the issue of an alleged scam in the midday meal scheme for construction workers in Dharashiv (earlier known as Osmanabad).

Patil said that it has been found in an inquiry conducted by the Dharashiv district collector that there has been a scam of crores of rupees in the midday meal scheme for construction workers by making bogus entry of 28,000 names.

Patil asked Minister Khade whether any action would be taken against the officials who are guilty in the alleged “scam”.

Even as Khade said there is no scam in the midday meal scheme in Dharashiv district and hence there is no question of action, the other Opposition leaders including Congress’s Vijay Wadettiwar and NCP MLA Anil Deshmukh levelled allegations of widespread corruption in the various labour welfare schemes introduced by the state.

Deshmukh said that even as the midday meal scheme is good, but the actual registered labourers are not being benefitted by the scheme.

“It is said in the records that everyday 1.69 lakh registered labourers are served midday meal. But it’s not being provided to the actual registered labourers. Also the menu served in the meal is not as prescribed in the policy. Only Khichdi is being served instead of the full-fledged meal. There is a large scale corruption in this midday meal scheme and hence there is a need for inquiry into it,” Deshmukh, who was a minister in the MVA government said.

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA and former health minister Rajesh Tope also raised the issue of unutilised funds worth Rs 16,000 crore which has been collected by labour department as a cess from builders and developers for the welfare of labourers.

Taking note of it, speaker Rahul Narvekar said that the state must present the plan drawn to utilise this funds. “The member has pointed out a serious question about the huge funds of Rs 16,000 crore which has not been utilised. It should be presented before the house as to how the government has planned to utilise this fund,” he said.

While responding to speaker’s suggestion, Khade said soon the plan will be drawn up for the utilisation of this fund and it will be presented before the house.

Wadettiwar said, “there is largescale corruption in all these schemes introduced for welfare of labourers. The money meant for the labourers are being pocketed by contractors. The officials and contractors are hand-in-glove in this. Items are procured at a higher cost than the market prize but still are of a cheap quality. Loot is going on and it must be inquired into. Will there be any high-level inquiry into the distribution of material and mid-day meal scheme?” he asked.

“The material provided to the labourers, items like safety kits, boots or trunks are procured through suppliers who are given contract after a thorough tendering process. The lowest bidder is given contract. The prizes of the material are cross-checked before giving contracts. But as you said, we will conduct inquiry into the issue through a high level committee, which will be headed by the state labour commissioner and if there is any irregularity or corruption, we will take appropriate action,” Khade told the house.