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Payment of non-existent works withheld at Budgam ET Impact 2/19/2016 12:14:58 AM Early Times Report Budgam, Feb 18: The residents of Palpora village in Budgam district, who had been highlighting alleged corruption in rural development department and local panchayat, finally got a relief when BDO of newly created Parnewa block withheld the payments of some 'non-existent' works to the local panchayat. The Vigilance organization had conducted an inspection of works a few years back, but it failed to take the case to its logical conclusion. The allegation is that money had been drawn against non-existent works in Parnewa block of Budgam. The locals had earlier appealed to the authorities concerned in RDD to send a team from the social audit directorate to conduct on spot inspection of the works which had been shown executed in the documents provided by BDO, Budgam, to an RTI activist. After Early Times carried a news item in this regard on January 9 last month, BDO refused to make payment to the panchayat against some alleged fake works. "We are thankful to the BDO for not coming under any sort of pressure while stopping the payment," said Farooq Ahmad, a local RTI activist. "After allegedly embezzling a huge amount of public money meant for MGNREGA works, the authorities concerned had made an attempt to allegedly release money in favour of a sarpanch despite protests by locals. We are thankful to Early Times and some RDD officials, RDD Director and DC, Budgam, for taking up this issue at the right time. The report filed few months back prevented the RDD officials from making payments, " said Umar Javaid, another RTI activist. It is pertinent to mention here that a few years back, around Rs 20 lakh were allegedly embezzled by some persons at Palpora. As many as one dozen works were not at all executed in the village but payments were made illegally by the official concerned against these non-existent works which included construction of retaining walls, paths and link roads. The scam was unearthed by some locals residents with the help of RTI Act. On the basis of documents obtained by them through RTI Act, locals had also filed a complaint with SVC but till date it was yet to take action against the guilty.   Share This News with Your Friends on Social Network     Comment on this Story

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