IMPHAL, August 30: Pradhan of Top Chingtha Gram Panchayat, Kongbam Inaocha Devi has been alleged of siphoning off Rs 28 lakh meant for development projects of the area under the MGNREGS. The pradhan has assured irate job card holders that the amount will be distributed as wages for the job card holders by September 6.
Briefing mediapersons in the regard at Manipur Press Club this evening, Laishram Nongmaileima , general secretary of Top Chingtha Job Card Holder Association stated that the pradhan was elected in 2008 and her term had concluded this year. After the work program allocation and job card holder wages were uploaded on the internet this month, the workers came to know of the disbursed amount and the entitlement to each worker of the gram panchayat. There are a total of 1018 job cards holders within the panchayat.
From the downloaded information on the internet, it was learnt that a sum of Rs 28 lakh was allocated for two projects out of a total 17 proposed MGNREGS work by the pradhan. The sanctioned works are construction of road from Inabung Pat estimated at Rs 15 lakh and another 13 lakh for development of Laijing Makhong to Laijing Maton road, the total sum withdrawn by the pradhan totaled at 28 lakh.
The said work was not actually carried out, but the amount was cashed by the pradhan. The charge leveled was accepted by pradhan Inaocha Devi in a meeting held at Andro MLA, Th Shyamkumar’s presence at his quarter today.
Nongmaileima mentioned that the pradhan had accepted her fault and promised to distribute the embezzled amount by September 6 at the said meeting. It was mentioned by the job card holders that if the amount is not given by the said date, a series of agitations will be launched.
It was also found that the number of days allocated to the workers uploaded in the website nrega.nic.in and the actual work done by the workers were not proportionate.It was charged that the pradhan had manipulated the attendance of the workers also.
“The bank passbooks mostly were not given to the workers, the signatures were forged by the pradhan and amounts were withdrawn from the Post Office by her”, Nongmaileima alleged.
She mentioned that there is no political agenda to tarnish her image, but the matter came to light following tell tale notification on the website hosted this August.
It was stated that the association will conduct a public meeting on September 5 at Top Chinkha Community Hall to give awareness to the public about MGNREGA scheme and to further to avoid consumption and distributing of alcohol and drugs during the panchayat elections.