UPPL stages stir, demands inquiry into alleged corruption in MGNREGA scheme

KOKRAJHAR: Synchronizing with the observation of Gandhi Jayanti, the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) on Friday staged four-hour protest against the alleged massive corruption in MGNREGA schemes in BTC and demanded proper inquiry into it. The demonstration was staged in every block committee of the UPPL. The vice-president of the UPPL and candidate for Baokhungri, Pratibha Brahma took part in the demonstration in Kokrajhar.

In an interview with media persons, Brahma said massive corruption occurred in the implementation of MGNREGA works in the BTC region during the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) government's regime. She said the two main objectives of this ambitious MGNREGA scheme had not been achieved, i.e. the beneficiaries were not able to get the amount that had been credited to their bank accounts, and the assets were not created properly in the villages.

"It is a big failure due to the misrule of the previous government," she said adding that as per the observations and reports received from citizens concerned as well as from the beneficiaries from various parts of BTC, the BPF party workers, former VCDC (Village Council Development Committee) chairman and contractual GRS (Gram Rojgar Sevak) were involved in the corruption and misappropriation of MGNREGA fund.

Brahma alleged that in many places the involvement of MLAs and former MCLAs of BPF party in the corruption was also reported. She reiterated that they also forced many engineers and BDOs (Block Development Officer) to take part in the corruption and various ways and means were used to misuse the fund. She said that as per the data available on the government website, around Rs 650 crore had been released in the last two-and-half financial years (2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21) for the MGNREGA works in the four districts, namely Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, and Udalguri of BTC, but only a small portion of it had reached the beneficiaries.

"It would have been very supportive for the poor job card holders if the fund was appropriately used. But due to corruption and misappropriation of fund, the job card holders were not benefitted," she said.

The UPPL submitted memorandum to the Prime Minister of India, the Chief Minister of Assam and Governor of Assam through the Deputy Commissioner and SDO, demanding to initiate an investigation by a credible agency, preferably by the CBI, to probe the corruption that occurred in the MGNREGA scheme and to penalize the corrupt politicians, individuals, and officials and to take prompt action to return the job cards and the bank passbooks of the beneficiaries.

GORESWAR: Goreswar Block committee of United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) staged a six-hour long sit-in in front of Goreswar circle office on Friday to demand CBI investigation into MGNREGA works in BTC. Demanding CBI investigation into alleged corruption in MGNREGA scheme in BTC, demanding legal action against the officials and public representatives found to be involved in corruption and to demand returning bank passbooks , job cards and ATM cards to the respective job card holders, which are in the alleged illegal possession of the VCDC chairmen or BPF party members, the Goreswar Block Committee of UPPL submitted memoranda to the Prime Minister of India, Chief Minister of Assam and to the Governor of Assam separately through the Goreswar circle officer on Friday.

The UPPL alleged in memorandum that large-scale corruption was committed in implementation of MGNREGA scheme in the BTC during the regime of the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) government. The main objective of MGNREGA is to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of wage employment to every household who comes forward to do unskilled manual works. But political representatives and officials of the block development office deprived the workers of the job guarantee provided by the scheme, alleged UPPL.

The party also alleged that the bank passbooks, job cards and ATM cards of the job card holders were illegally kept by the VCDC chairmen and BPF party members to withdraw the amount credited to the account of the job card holders without the consent of the account holders.

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