‘Tripura to audit MGNREGS during LF rule’

Agartala: Deputy Chief Minister of Tripura holding the charge of Rural Development Jishnu Dev Varma asserted the assembly that the state government would conduct a special audit to all rural development blocks of the state in the expenditure had incurred under MGNREGS during 2011-14 in the Left Front rule.
Replying to a notice of BJP MLA Shambu Lal Chakma in the assembly on financial irregularities of MGNREGS fund in Bishalgarh block in 2014 to the tune of Rs 16 Cr, Dev Varma said that the audit report of 2012-13 was presented only in one page and more interestingly, the audit firm had completed on the same day of the commencement of audit.
He said the corruption has come to fore following a complaint filed by one Gopal Chandra Bhadra to the chief secretary on January 25, 2014, and afterwards special audit was ordered and that established the corruption.
Subsequently, a criminal case had been registered in the Bishalgarh police station under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and five officers responsible for the scam had surrendered in court.
“The case is still on in the district and session court and FIRs have been filed; as per special audit master roll worth Rs 16 crores had not been kept properly. (PTI)