MGNREGS scam: 4 staff face disciplinary action

COIMBATORE: The block development officer of Karavali

Madhapur

in Sulur block has been transferred after irregularities were unearthed in the implementation of projects under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). Apart from the BDO, the project engineer has also been transferred. The co-ordinator and overseer of the projects have been suspended.

While block development officer Jayashree has been transferred to the administration department in the district collectorate, engineer Rajeshwari has been transferred to Kinathukidavu. Co-ordinator Saravanan and overseer Vellingiri have been suspended.

TOI had unravelled the rampant corruption in construction of toilets under Swachh Bharat mission and 100 days employment for rural workers in K Madhapur village. Dubious attendance records showing workers carrying out work even on national holidays were prepared to siphon off money. The villagers, however, denied working on any holiday, suggesting a large-scale scam. Panchayat authorities also created fake job cards to carry out the scam, TOI investigation found.

A team consisting of five officials headed by the additional director in charge of MGNREGA implementation in Tamil Nadu, Muthu Meena, had visited the village last week to look into the corruption, scrutinise documents and conduct inspections. The team met the villagers and held enquiries with the officials at the panchayat.

District Rural Development Agency (

DRDA

) project director Rooban Shankar Raj said that the team from Chennai was checking bank account details of the workers.

Meanwhile, social activist C Saravanan requested the official team to conduct a similar inquiry in all village and town panchayats in the state.