IMPHAL August 22: The Keirak Wabagai development committee secretary, in a press conference, held today at Imphal East strongly reacted the Gram Panchayat of Keirak for allegedly misguiding the general public of Keirak G.P. regarding debarring of Rs. 20 lakhs fund meant for rural employment implemented under MGNREGS which is part of the centrally funded flagship programme.
The committee condemned the pradhan and members of the G.P. of putting under unnecessary duress to 12 job card holders seeking employment through MGNREGS in order to wash off the formers’ mismanagement of public funds.
B. Prem, secretary of the committee addressing media persons informed that on August 18 during an emergency public meeting called by the G.P. regarding the debarring of Rs. 20 lakhs fund, a serious altercation took place in which a woman was serious injured by knocking her to unconscious by some women folks who were incited by the members of the G.P. and later Prem who was also said to be on the scene to attend the said public meeting was also targeted by the ensuing mob, though he managed to escaped from the scene.
Prem further elaborated that earlier Pradhan and some members of G.P. had failed to give necessary information regarding non acceptance of application for works applied to officials of G.P. by the said Job card holders. As a result, they had gathered necessary required information through RTI and subsequently made a complaint to the ombudsman stationed at Thoubal and highlighted about the issues of non acceptance of application for work by the G.P. The Ombudsman than after verifying the facts instructed the respective BDO and debarred the said Rs. 20 lakhs fund, Prem added.
Addressing the conference Prem while appealing the Government’s intervention to aptly monitor and supervise in the process of providing rural employment through the scheme for efficient management of funds, lamented that several individuals who are working for the development and welfare of the society are unnecessarily victimized by vested interest.
