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Central funds for villages embezzled, alleges Congress

LoP Bajwa writes to Union Minister on Rs 1.8-cr ‘fraud’ at two places
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The Congress has sought a probe into the alleged embezzlement of Central funds issued to the Rural Development and Panchayats Department.

In a representation to Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Union Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa has alleged embezzlement of Rs 1.80 crore in two Ferozepur villages by officials. “The Ferozepur case is just the tip of the iceberg. Funds have been embezzled across the state,” stated Bajwa.

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He said as per recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission, the state Rural Development and Panchayat Department was allocated Rs 4,534.34 crore for distribution in the ratio of 7:2:1 among gram panchayats (Rs 3,174.02 crore), panchayat samitis (Rs 906.91 crore), and zila parishads (Rs 453.42 crore).

The funds are allocated to the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) through a district-wise procedure, which involves the release of funds on the e-Gram Swaraj portal. The amount in Ferozepur was released while wrongly using the identity of two registered authorities.

“An embezzlement to the tune of Rs 1,80,87,591 has come to my notice. The funds were allegedly paid to M/s Ranjit Tile Industries, owned by Kandhara Singh, and credited to the firm’s bank account in 11 instalments from July 16 last year to August 27,” he stated.

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As per the report submitted by an inquiry committee headed by the Divisional Deputy Director, Rural Development and Panchayats, Jalandhar, and the District Development and Panchayat Officer, Bathinda, the amount in question was fraudulently released using the Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) of the Sarpanch, Gram Panchayat, Basti Bhanewali, Jaswinder Kaur. Telephone numbers used for obtaining OTPs were found to be linked to this fraud.

“The FIR registered in this regard is silent on the names of the persons involved in the alleged fraud. There is no mention of Kirandeep Kaur, Sarpanch, Gram Panchayat, Kamal Wala, who impersonated BDPO Kirandeep Kaur to release funds even as the latter had left the charge six months before the release of amount. Firm owner Kandhara Singh was also not named,” said Bajwa.

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