| CDPO official charged Rs 50 for providing uniform, allege Aaganwari workers | | ‘Now we are asked to give undertaking’ | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, May 8: It might sound strange but it’s true that to further distribute uniforms provided by the department, the officials of Child Development Project Office (CDPO) Kalakote have allegedly charged Rs 50 from each Anganwadi Worker.
Sources told Early Times CDPO official Kalakote demanded and accepted Rs 50 each worker recently and there are 213 workers under CDPO office Kalakote. “The matter, however, has been brought into the notice of higher-ups. Now, CDPO office Kalakote has asked all the workers to give an undertaking that no money has been charged by the officials, while providing uniform to them”, sources said.
They further said that a format has been issued by the CDPO Kalakote for workers to complete work. “Fearing the graft case can damage them, CDPO office Kalakote issued a format in two languages and through the concerned Aaganwadi Supervisions, the forms will be filed and returned back to CDPO office”, source said.
Earlier the CPDO office Kalakote has attempted to keep away elected Sarpanches and Panches. “The officials of CDPO Kalakote want to keep purchase of food-grains and other items under their control to ‘earn’ money”, sources said, adding that the Anganwadi Workers are soft targets of the officials of CDPO office officials. “There is a fix cut on material being supplied to the Anganwadi Workers for running their respective Anganwadi Centres. The entire process should be handed over to concern Sarpanch or Ward members”, they said. “We appeal to Deputy Commissioner Rajouri Rajesh Kumar Shaban to personally intervene in this matter to end the monopoly CDPO officials in purchase and supply of the material, prevent misappropriation of funds”, they said.
Denying the allegations, CDPO Kalakote, Sharda Devi said that no money has been charged from Aaganwari workers for providing them uniforms. “Nothing like this has happened and no undertaking from the Aaganwari workers is being taken by this office”, she added.
But ET possesses the copy of undertaking forms issued by the officials of CDPO Kalakote.
However, when District Programme Officer (DPO), ICDS Rajouri, Kartar Singh said that the matter was under investigation. “I have received a complaint over this issue, soon I will personally visit CDPO Office Kalakote and a meeting of Panch, Sarpanch and Anganwadi Workers will be held”, he said, adding that if someone is found guilty, action as per rules would be initiated. |
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