Dug-well scheme irregularities galore in N'pada Thursday, 13 August 2020 | AJIT PANDA | NUAPADA

 https://www.dailypioneer.com/2020/state-editions/dug-well-scheme-irregularities-galore-in-n-pada.html

Pansingh Paharia of Golabeda village in Nangalbod gram panchayat under Sinapali block is a beneficiary of dug-well scheme under MGNREGS.

According to information available in the MGNREGA website, an amount of Rs 61,388 has been spent for the construction of a well, where a total of 35 persons have worked in nine job cards and 206 person days have been generated.

The total estimated cost for a dug well under the scheme is Rs 1.6 lakh, thus the work status in the MGNREGA website still shows "ongoing", which means more funds can be spent for completion of the project. Now let us see what is the output of the spent fund.

Pansingh shows a small well of 8 ft diameter located in front of his house and says "this is the well". "I was paid Rs 14,304 for the work," he adds. Although Pansingh could not say clearly how much he spent in the construction, he claimed that he needed to be paid the full amount under the scheme.

"The Sarpanch has assured me that full amount will be released," he informed. Pansingh further revealed that he hired a JCB machine to dig the well.

Chaitanya Majhi of the village is another beneficiary of dug well scheme. The well he has constructed is a little bigger one having 25 feet depth and 12 feet wide. "I don't know how much money has been released for the construction, but I have received only Rs 17,800," says he.

Both the beneficiaries sense corruption in the construction. "We have drawn attention of the BDO by submitting our grievance in writing; we want action," they say.

Ajaya Dharua, former ZP member and a tribal leader of the area, who conducted a meeting with the villagers to discuss about the NREGS works in the village says that there are many such irregularities in the Panchayat.

Golabeda is a hamlet of Nangalbod village, about 35 km far from the block headquarters. Sinapali is inhabited by 30 tribal households. The village is remotely located, thus the field officials think that the corruption they do would not be noticed by higher authorities," says Kshirasindhu Saharia, RTI activist.