JDC seeks probe, compliance report from Muktsar DC

The Joint Development Commissioner (JDC) and Commissioner MGNREGA, Punjab, has written to the Muktsar Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Programme Coordinator (MGNREGA), urging immediate action and the submission of a report regarding the alleged expenditure of Rs 1.87 crore without any work being done under the MGNREGA scheme in the district.

In a recent letter, JDC Shena Aggarwal stated that a letter, dated February 23 last year, had been sent by her office, demanding an inquiry into the fraudulent expenses and action against the responsible officials. However, no compliance report had been received so far.

Further, in another incident, the JDC stated that a committee had already been constituted by the department’s head office to investigate the alleged misuse of MGNREGA funds by an assistant programme officer (APO) Parminder Singh. A detailed report from the committee was sent to the Deputy Commissioner on July 28, instructing the recovery of the embezzled amount and departmental action against the officials concerned and staff.

Meanwhile, speaking to The Tribune, the then APO, Parminder Singh, said he would seek legal remedy and claimed that the investigating committee had not given him adequate time to record his statement. “I have not committed any fraud and have already resigned from the job. I will challenge the orders in the high court,” he said.

A complainant, Rajinder Singh from Assa Buttar village, alleged, “During the Congress regime in 2021-22, various works, including the construction of streets, were shown as completed in the records, but works worth Rs 1.87 crore were not physically found anywhere, and bills were claimed without even obtaining approvals. These villages include Doda, Nanaksar, Sotha, Kaoni etc.”

He further stated that another member of their Malwa Team Anti-Corruption Society had lodged a complaint regarding the embezzlement of over Rs 2 crore in Barkandi, Kotli Sanghar, Jammuana, Gulabewala, Thandewala, Fattanwala, Khappianwali and Sakkanwali villages.

On this, Surinder Singh Dhillon, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development), Muktsar, said, “We have called a meeting in this regard on Tuesday and have sought the records from the Block Development and Panchayat Officers (BDPOs) as well.”

Muktsar Deputy Commissioner Abhijeet Kaplish confirmed that the JDC had recently sent a letter.