The State Government has initiated action against two IAS officers, Mrinalini Darswal and Janaki Ballav Mishra, in connection with the alleged irregularities under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) implementation in Nuapada district.
It may be mentioned that the Supreme Court had ordered a CBI probe into the irregularities on the basis of the CAG report in 2009. The CBI, in its report had recommended action against the two IAS officers, who were district Collectors of Nuapada, to the State Government.
However, the General Administration Department had sought clarifications from the two senior officers before initiating departmental action against them.
On receipt of the clarifications, Panchayati Raj Department Secretary Deoranjan Singh has recommended action against them to the General Administration Department, official sources said.
As per the report, Mrinalini Darswal, during her tenure as Collector of Nuapada had allegedly utilised Rs 2,53,588 from the District Contingency Fund (DCF) towards development of the garden at the Collector’s residential quarters. later, her successor Janaki Ballav Mishra had compensated the amount from the surplus fund of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA).
Prior to this, the Union Rural Development Ministry, in a letter to the State Government on March 30, 2007, had made it clear that MGNREGA fund cannot be utilised for any civil work.
While Darswal is presently on a Central deputation, Mishra is serving as the Additional Secretary to the Governor at the Raj Bhavan here.