news details |
|
|
| Misappropriation of funds under NREGA by RDD | | | S.Tahir-Ul Haq
Early Times Report
BANDIPORA, July 5: The NREGA guidelines are violated with impunity in this state. Most of the beneficiaries at various work sites complained that the work was rarely available. The scheme suggests that the registration for work has to be made an open ended process to facilitate registration of eligible households throughout the year but this was rarely observed in the Bandipora district of North Kashmir.
Sources told early times that the Rural Development Department (RDD) authorities have committed various misappropriation of funds under NREGA and drawing namely against non-existent works under fake signatures.
Lakhs of rupees meant for development of rural areas in Bandipora under National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) are allegedly being misused by the concerned authorities, Sources alleged.
Sources on anonymity conditions said that, in most of the Panchayat blocks especially, Aloosa and Aragam, neither the employment was given nor the work was done in the area. He also alleged that there are several other instances of alleged misappropriation of money.
There are couple of workers who do not wish to be named said that the practice of machines like JCB are being used in the works. The role of Junior Engineers (JEs) of the RDD and PHE were not found satisfactory as they kept themselves far off from the related works, said sources.
Bashir Ahmad a local worker from the area said that the demand for employment under the NREGA was affected by many extraneous and endogenous variables such as the lack of comprehensive knowledge about the scheme, lack of knowledge on how to exercise their rights by applying for the job.
Worker said that it seems that they had sub-contracted out their work, proper action needed to be taken against both Mate and JEs who seemed hand-in-glove.
The rate of completion was quite poor. It was surprising to note that despite so much expenditure on training and skill development of NREGA staff, there was a general apathy towards various provisions of the Act, he added.
Another worker wished not to be named told early times that the miseries has not yet ended here still there is a problem in the wage differentials, lack of infrastructure, delayed wage payments, availability of alternate employment opportunities in the primary stage.
"At the same time there are serious concerns about lack of work and also fraud in the Identification of BPL (Below Poverty Line) households. As some genuine households were excluded from BPL list, worker added.
He says that it has become a stark reality in north Kashmir especially in Bandipora district that the success of NREGA depends not on poor, illiterate workers but on the 'pleasure of the concerned officials in the district.
However a group of locals said that some work was started in the Nadihal, Aahargam and other villages few years back, was yet to be completed.
The construction is still incomplete as the funds allocated for the same were diverted for some other purpose by concerned authorities, locals maintained. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
