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| Rural development department Jammu hub of irregularities? | | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
JAMMU, June 20: Rural Development Department (RDD) Jammu has seemingly become hub of irregularities; with inquiries against officials just piling up with each passing day and action does not seem forthcoming.
State government has on its part decided not to penalize officers responsible for looting public exchequer. Early Times is in possession of an inquiry report, which was conducted by the then Additional Commissioner Development (ACD) Udhampur Arun Kumar Sharma into the alleged wrongful and illegal execution of rural developmental works in Jammu district in year 2002-2003.
The inquiry was ordered following large scale complaints of works having been executed by Rural Development Department (RDD) Jammu at the fag end of financial year 2002-03 without completing the procedural requirements like technical sanctions, estimates etc. Besides this, there were allegations that works were executed even before formal order was issued for the engagement of mates by the department.
There were also allegations that funds were withdrawn at the fag end of the financial year 2002-03 particularly on the last date of March 2003 without the completion of procedural formalities as required under rules. It was also brought to the
notice of the government through the complaint that the then Incharge Executive Engineer had withheld sanction and in some cases issued backdated sanctions.
Amounts placed at the disposal of Village Level Workers (VLWs) were not disbursed to the concerned mates in full and part of the payment was withheld. Following these complaints, a team of officers was deputed for inspection of various blocks in Jammu district. Based on the reports of inspection teams, the then Director Rural Development informed the government that allegations were not without reason.
He concluded that his team of officers found out that works in many cases had been executed without completing procedural requirement and clearance of competent authority. He maintained that since the then XEN of Rural Engineering Wing Jammu had not maintained proper records about the receipt and disposal of cases received by him from the blocks, it created an impression that back dated sanctions may have been issued by him or he may have unnecessarily or willfully delayed the sanction.
Further, the then Director had pointedly said that foodgrains issued for the labourers may not have reached the destination in some cases. Subsequent to this report, Deputy Director (Administration) vide his letter no. DRDJ/Estt/210 dated 10-05-2003 stated that on May 10, 2003; following issuance of orders of attachment of the then incharge Xen (REW) Jammu to the Directorate of Rural Development Jammu vide Govt order no. 112-RD of 2003 dated May 9, 2003; he observed Draftsman REW Jammu leaving the office at around 11 am in the morning with certain records which were seized from him.
He further added that preliminary inquiry revealed that most of the documents pertaining to estimate of works belonging to block Satwari, R.S.Pura, Bhalwal and Purmandal were of the financial year 2002-03. They had been seemingly submitted for clearance of Xen REW but did not bear his signatures, thus raising doubts about the functioning of the said office in the context of the complaints received about them. Following this, government orders another inquiry which was entrusted to the then Additional Commissioner Development (ACD) Udhampur Arun Kumar Sharma.
He too probed and reached similar conclusion. Though he did not seek any action against the accused but the fact remains that he in his report gave detailed account of manipulation of records and accounts during the alleged wrongful and illegal execution of rural developmental works in Jammu district in year 2002-2003.If sources are to be believed, this scam is worthy crores of rupees but government has kept both its eyes and ears closed. |
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