Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 28 Nov: The Joint Action Committee for Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (JACPMKSY) on Tuesday alleged that the rural development (RD) department misappropriated funds meant for PMKSY schemes in the state, violating the laid down norms, for execution of schemes amounting to Rs 408 crore and 56 lakhs.
Addressing media persons at the press club here, JACPMKSY chairman Maji Tayum alleged that “the RD department violated the norms in executing the works, which needs to be investigated by a high-level departmental inquiry committee.”
“The union RD ministry has approved and sanctioned said funds for the construction of 66 watershed development component (WDC-PMKSY 2.0) projects in the state, but the same multi-crore amount has been siphoned off or mismanaged by the officials concerned of the department,” he added.
Informing that the project was supposed to be implemented by the watershed committee through the watershed cell-cum-data centre, a watershed development team, and the project implementing agency, the committee accused the department of ignoring the norms and awarding the work order to a private executing agency without floating any notice inviting tender (NIT).
“The department has made direct payment through the public financial management system (PFMS) to many contractors,” said Tayum.
He added that, “as per the guidelines, payment should have been made through the block development officers of the respective districts.”
The committee has lodged an FIR with the Special Investigation Cell, seeking thorough investigation into the matter.
It appealed to the state government to “put the director, joint director and other officials under suspension till the investigation is over, in order to halt further sanctioning and release of payment till the case is disposed of.” It also requested the government to blacklist all the firms involved in the scam.
This daily could not verify with the department the allegations levelled at it.
