Punjab: Sapling @ Rs 1.66 lakh, brick Rs 400! MGNREGA buy raises stink

Tribune News Service

Archit Watts

Muktsar, September 4

As strange as it may sound, a brick was purchased at Rs 400, a cement bag at Rs 3,500 and a sapling at Rs 1,66,750 in the Gidderbaha Assembly segment for the development work done under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) between 2017-18 and 2021-22.

The information was provided by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. RTI activist Karandeep Singh of Roranwali village in the Lambi Assembly segment said: “If a fair probe is conducted, a multi-crore scam will be exposed and a number of officers will be found guilty.”

As per the information, bill number 114 shows that a sapling was purchased for Rs 1,66,750 from Parmod Kumar on November 18, 2018. As per bill number 112, as many as 390 bricks were bought for Rs 1,56,000 on April 1, 2020. Similarly, bill number 123 shows 350 bricks were purchased for Rs 1,40,000 on February 12, 2020. As per bill number 47, as many as 15 units of cement were bought for Rs 52,500 for beautification of Chatteana village on December 22, 2017. The Congress was in power in the state during the period.

The RTI activist said he had sent a complaint in this regard to the Chief Minister’s Office, Deputy Commissioner and other senior officers. “As per the documents, some daily-wagers have worked for 400 to 1,100 days in a year,” he claimed.

Officials of the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats said it could be the fault of a data entry operator. “However, the truth will come out after a probe. It is astounding that a brick is shown purchased at Rs 400 and a cement bag at Rs 3,500,” they added.

Meanwhile, Muktsar DC Ruhee Dugg said, “I have marked a probe to the Gidderbaha SDM. An assistant panchayat officer’s services were terminated last month.”

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