Nasir Khuehami
Bandipora, Sep 28 (KNS): Despite the passage of Eight months, the state government has utterly failed to probe the RDD scam that surfaced in Watapora village of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
The scam in RDD was surfaced in the January this year wherein it was come to fore that the officials have withdrawn the amount worth lakhs from scores of ‘bogus’ job cards under the centrally sponsored MGNREGA scheme.
Villagers of Watapora Bandipora told KNS that the state government and officials of Rural Development Department are yet to come up with the details of probe regarding the scam.
They alleged that officials are hand-in-glove with influential persons and facilitate them in making job cards in favor of ‘blue eyed’ persons to grab the money meant for poor.
People have raised eye brows against the RDD officials and Panchs for their alleged huge embezzlement in pouring the huge fund to their homes due to which common masses suffer.
Sources said that the department has not ordered any probe into the matter. “Though the higher authorities in the department had assured the probe into the matter, but till date no formal orders were issued to initiate the probe,” sources told KNS.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Locals said that the concerned Village Level Workers (VLWs), Panchs and Sarpanch are together making money out of this scheme.
“It was an utter shock for me when I came to know that I was enrolled for the work under MGNREGA. Even somebody else has taken the amount on my name,” a local said.
He alleged that last year a job card was secretly issued under his name while the money was withdrawn on the name of local Panch’s son.
Villagers said the benefit under the scheme have mostly gone to well off individuals “who could feed feasts to the officers.”
Locals alleged that the person dealing with affairs of MGNREGA are either political workers or government employees. “Money has been illegally drawn against fake land leveling and construction of bathrooms and roads. The scam must be thoroughly investigated,” locals demanded.
Meanwhile, Newly Director RDD Qazi Sarwar said that I will get it enquired with in shortest possible time, on my notice I even didn't saw it, earlier a team was constituted under the supervision of ACD Baramulla, who visited the spot and took the details, he added. (KNS)