PCDR demands probe into implementation of MGNGREGA in Kokrajhar

From our Correspondent

KOKRAJHAR, May 25: The People's Co-ordition for Democratic Rights (PCDR), Kokrajhar district committee on Monday organized a protest against the alleged corruption and fraudulent practices in the VCDC level in implementation of the MGNREGA and various other development schemes in Kokrajhar opposite the DRDA office. The PCDR and its supporters placed some key demands for justice and bring an end to corruption in the BTC administration.

A memorandum was also submitted to Prime Minister rendra Modi through the Deputy Commissioner Kokrajhar demanding investigation by CBI or NIA on the fraudulent cases of job card and employment benefit schemes. The PCDR and its supporters have already made some the findings and FIR has been lodged.

MCLA Jiron Basumatary, while participating in the demonstration, said that on the basis of findings and reports derived from the government website and officials concerned for public information of the schemes implemented under the Rural Employment Guarantee Schemes under MGNREGA from the fincial years 2006 till 2015 in BTC districts, the matter of issuance of job card to avail labour wages under various schemes had been allegedly cheated and fraudulently used by the VCDC chairman under various development blocks in the BTC rural development departments and by other departments covered under the employment guarantee schemes. "It has been found that the employment guarantee meant for the BPL category people was deprived," he said.

Former MP Urkhao Gwra Brahma alleged that there existed a well-organized illegal process to siphon off the money by few individuals in VCDC and TCLCC under the respective Development Blocks, which required thorough investigation through Central Government authority like CBI and NIA.

District co-orditor of KDC/PCDR Suraj Kumar Machahary said that the beneficiaries had made the findings and the VCDC chairman and bank officials had allegedly fraudulently used job cards to withdraw employment benefits from the respective banks. However, it has been found that the payments made to the beneficiaries under the rural employment guarantee schemes had been siphoned off from 2006 to 2015 from the individual bank accounts of the beneficiaries, he alleged.

The memorandum stated that some prelimiry findings by the beneficiaries and the public over the alleged corruption and fraudulent practice at the Block Development and VCDC level administration and involving bank and other officials in implementation of rural employment guarantee schemes under MGNREGA and other departmental schemes, the PCDR placed the demand to the Government of India to take necessary action and to book all the persons and officials found guilty of corruption and siphoning of public money. They also demanded for special investigation team (SIT) under supervision of sitting Supreme Court judge and to investigate all departments in BTC where corruption and fraud existed. They also demanded to strengthen grassroots democracy in VCDC level and to conduct election in constituting VCDC.