APW seeks CBI probe into 'misappropriation' of NRC fund

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Aug 29: The Assam Public Works (APW) has sought an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged misappropriation of fund in the tiol Register of Citizen (NRC) exercise.

The organization has filed a complaint at CBI’s anti-corruption branch in Guwhati seeking an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of fund of Rs 248 crore by NRC coorditor Prateek Hajela and other officials.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, APW chief Abhijit Sarma said that some officers of the NRC authority in Assam headed by coorditor Prateek Hajela in connivance with Wipro have hatched up a conspiracy and misappropriated around Rs 248 crore and caused wrongful fincial loss to the Central government. 

“The Central Government allocated a sum of Rs 900 crore for the NRC update in Assam. The NRC authority in Assam headed by Prateek Hajela issued a work order on the basis of a single tender to Wipro for supplying IT manpower for the post of data entry executive. Till date around 9000 persons have been engaged in work as data entry executive in the entire state who are being paid at the rate of Rs 5,050 per month,” Sarma said.

He mentioned that the NRC authority had fixed an amount of Rs 14,500 as monthly remuneration against each data entry operator which is being drawn by Wipro.

“But Wipro have outsourced the work of supply of IT manpower to a third party mely ‘Integrated System and Service’ at the rate of Rs 8,000 against each data entry executive per month but the employees are receiving only at the rate of Rs  5,050 per month,” Sarma pointed out.

The APW chief said that keeping a share at the rate of Rs 6,500 against each data entry executive per month by Wipro and keeping a share at the rate of Rs 3,000 against each data entry executive per month by ‘Integrated System and Service’ is totally illegal as the actual employees are getting only at the rate of Rs 5,050 per month which is far below the amount fixed as per Minimum Wages Act presently in force for skilled labourers. 

Sarma said that apart from CBI, the APW has also written to the Supreme Court, Central Government and the Registrar General of India seeking their intervention in this regard.

NRC State Coorditor Hajela, however, denied the allegations.

“This is a completely baseless allegation. The work was handed over to Wipro as per standard procedure. Open tender was invited and on the basis of their expression of interest, work was given to the Wipro after they fulfilled the desired criteria,” Hajela said.

He said that if the APW has any issues with the process, they can apprise the Supreme Court as the organization is a party in the NRC case in the top court.