This happens across the state, says ex-panchayat president

Former president of K Madhapur panchayat Hari Krishnan, under whose tenure the irregularities in MGNREGS were noticed, has said he was not aware that on national holidays work cannot be carried out. Hari Krishnan, who belongs to the AIADMK, had signed in several attendance records. "If workers come asking for work, we give it to them," he told TOI.

When told that the workers denied that they worked on those days, he said he did not wish to comment on it and said he alone should not be questioned as this was the case in all panchayats across the state. "In every panchayat, on holidays villagers have worked under this scheme," he said.

Asked about the fake job cards that he is required to authorise, Hari Krishnan said that whenever people came asking for job cards he issued them. "I will send them to panchayat officials and only to help people the cards were issued," he said.

When told that activists had alleged several commissions and salaries were taken from workers, he said the activists will claim anything. "We have not taken any money. The money is directly credited to the workers’ accounts. No one is so careless that they will give their passbooks to others," he countered. When pointed out that many workers got only `80 instead of the government prescribed amount, he said those who received less money would not have worked properly. "Based on the work quality, money is given. Moreover, only whatever the central government

credits to us can be credited to them," he said.

On activists’ allegations that they were threatened and RTI applications were not responded to due to political pressure, Hari Krishnan said

all that was false and he had nothing to do with it.


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