Thanks to kickbacks in HE Department
The Higher Education department has allegedly provided grant-in-aid (GIA) to a few staff members in the Shantilata Mahavidyalya, Uitikiri in Baleswar district, who were appointed in the institution illegally and on production of false and fabricated documents. On the other hand, employees who claim to have been appointed on genuine grounds continue to languish without justice.
It is alleged that while the beneficiaries of GIA manage to continue in the college despite an order of a former Higher Education Secretary to stop their salary and initiate proceeding against them, during the time their papers were scrutinised for establishing eligibility to get GIA, the Higher Education department deliberately overlooked the ‘authenticity factor’ and let them get the benefit for vested interest.
Sources said ever since its inspection in 1980, there have been several controversies afflicting the college, with a few employees having been able to call the shots. It is alleged that these employees have got job producing fabricated documents but in terms of enjoying the leverage, they are second to none. Most unfortunately, the genuine staff members were ignored.
Sources further said Jatindra Nath Das, Mrutunjaya Puhan, Rabindra Kumar Barik, Chakradhar Jena and Gadadhar Sahoo of the college availed the GIA through huge kickbacks and political link. Further, an amount of `1.60 crore as grant is going to be availed by another nine persons namely Karunakar Prahdan, Susanta Kumar Dey, Manoranjan Behera, Paramananda Dash, Jivan Krushan Giri, Janmejaya Giri, Sambhunath Behera, Muralidhar Mohapatra and Krupasindhu Biswal, who have not been appointed validly. These employees claim that they have been appointed by one R Barik, secretary of the managing committee (MC) of the college. But reports said that Barik had never been the secretary of the college MC.
Former Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Higher Education MS Padhi had ordered for stoppage of payment to five teaching and non teaching members of the college since they were not appointed as per norms.
When the sword was dangling on their heads, curiously, two were shown to have been appointed validly though the MC left serious loopholes in their recruitment. Their appointment was made and approved by the MC when they were of 15 years and 16 years of age. The Higher Education Secretary’s order was flouted and the five employees continued in their service with regular salary and other benefits. It is alleged that the staff members enjoyed the favour since a local politician sided with them.
A few officials in the Directorate of Higher Education fished in the troubled waters. MC member of the college Digambar Jena alleged that Additional Secretary DP Behera, Deputy Secretary Dr Nivedita Prusty and former Deputy Director (NGC-1) BC Das and former Director Gangadhar Mishra, clerk PK Pattanaik of Directorate of Higher Education worked in tandem to safeguard the interest of the unjust and corrupt employees ignoring the claim for grant by genuine staff members of college.
College MC secretary Dr Shantilata Jena went a step further, alleging, “When complaints were lodged against the illegal disbursal of grant, the Higher Education department had conducted a hearing in 2013.
The accused employees failed to produce their appointment orders and other related documents and yet, the department did not take any action. Principal Secretary Gagan Kumar Dhal just paid a deaf ear to all charges.”
Intriguingly enough wrong payment of GIA is still being made in favour of the guilty while the just and genuine ones have been deprived of their salary. The deprived staff members of the college have appealed before the Odisha High Court and the case is pending since long.