Probe into MGNREGS anomalies in Siejlieh begins , VEC members admit lapses
From Our Correspondent
NONGSTOIN: The West Khasi Hills district administration has kept in abeyance implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) at Siejlieh till inquiry into allegations of various anomalies is over.
Several anomalies have been unearthed in implementation of MGNREGS in Siejlieh village of West khasi Hills district.
Responding to a RTI filed by KSU’s Siejlieh unit president D Wanniang, DM Suja vide a letter No/NB/Genl/RTI-12/2010/13) provided a detailed information which brought to light several anomalies in regards to implementation of the scheme.
When the matter came to light, the Deputy Commissioner of the district directed the Block Development Officer of Nongstoin C&RD Block Mrs DM Suja to conduct an inquiry into the alleged anomalies.
On Friday, Suja conducted the first hearing, which was attended by the leaders of KSU’s Siejlieh unit and also the members of VEC and AEC of Siejlieh village.
During an inspection recently, a KSU team found that out of these 25 working days being recorded in the laboursheet, MNRGES cardholders namely Hebiolin Myrthong, Kholostar L. Nonglait and Espringroy Myrthong of the said village got payment for only 11 days. However, the laboursheet said the trio was allotted 25 days work.
Interestingly, the job card of one Hedingstone Marbaniang had expired on March 7, 2009, but the labour-sheet said he worked in the period between 3.9.2010 – 2.10.2010 and a sum of Rs 1200 was paid to his family members since he died a few years back.
It is further learnt that the VEC and AEC forced some labourers to put their signature in the labour sheets for 25 working days and paid them Rs 100 per signature.
During the hearing, the KSU team tabled all the relevant papers before the BDO.
The VEC members confessed that they had committed anomalies while implementing the scheme.
They also confessed before the BDO that the they had forced some card holders to sign in a blank paper.
The BDO later informed The Shillong Times that implementation of all the schemes was kept in abeyance until further order.
