Raipur: Admitting to irregularities in MGNREGA works, Chhattisgarh panchayat and rural development minister Singhdeo on Monday announced the suspension of 15 officers and employees, including a Zilla panchayat CEO, and recommended action against a district forest officer (DFO) for alleged corruption in the construction of a culvert and stop-dam in Marwahi forest division of Gaurela-Pendra- Marwahi (GPM) district.
After ruling Congress legislator Gulab Kamro raised the issue of irregularities through a call attention notice, Singhdeo announced the suspensions, including that of CEO Gajendra Thakur, and said that an FIR would also be lodged against the accused. The minister said the district Congress committee president Manoj Gupta had complained that money was drawn without carrying out the projects.
A four-member committee, set up to probe the complaints, inspected about 33 works and detected “serious irregularities”, he said, adding that Thakur was found to have granted approval for withdrawal of money. Among those found allegedly responsible for the irregularities are the then Marwahi forest division FO Rakesh Mishra, now retired, and 14 other officials and employees of the forest department. A recommendation for action against the then DFO Rakesh Mishra would be sent to the coordination committee, Singhdeo said.