Kendrapara
(Odisha): Dead persons have come alive to draw wages from accounts under
MGNREGA in some areas of Kendrapara district.
Some people who are no more, still figure in the muster rolls
and wage remuneration was drawn against their names, district officials said.
“The
administration has received reports of MGNREGA wage payment to beneficiaries
who are dead. The matter is being investigated. With irregularities coming to
the fore, administrative enquiry has been ordered,” said Kendrapara District
Collector Debraj Senapati.
Upendranath
Behera of Bankeswar village under Singiri gram panchayat of Aul block worked
for 30 days under MGNREGA. He was paid Rs 3000 that were deposited in his
account recently.
But
Behera died on August 12, 2006, officials said.
Behera’s
case is not alone. The same is case for Kalinidi Rout, Durga Charan Mallik and
Pitambar Lenka.
Not
only money has been fraudulently drawn against the dead, but there has been
rampant misuse of funds by way of enlisting ghost beneficiaries and fake muster
rolls, rights activist Gayadhar Dhal alleged.
This
needs to be enquired and the people involved in the irregularity should be put
behind the bars, he said.
The
Collector said other forms of misuse of central funds like fake muster roll and
undeserving job-card holders had also come to the notice.
“Action
will be initiated against the offenders after legal technicalities of enquiry
are over. The sum fraudulently withdrawn would be recovered from unworthy recipients
and beneficiaries under Orissa Public Recovery of Debt Act,” said Senapati.
PTI