Rs 5.16 lakh has allegedly been siphoned off by a fake bill for construction of about 43 toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission in lathikata block of Sundargarh district.
The contractor has allegedly taken the payment, producing the fake proof of construction, even though these toilets have not been constructed at all. Vigilance officials claim that the amount of corruption may go further higher, since they have only cross checked about half of the total numbers of toilets constructed in the locality.
Sources said as per the provision of the Swachchh Bharat Yojana, toilets are being constructed in each and every house of different villages Accordingly, about 268 toilets were proposed to be constructed in Bolani revenue village under lathikata block. Although, as per the procedure, the beneficiaries should construct these toilets on their own and are entitled to get Rs 12,000 for each toilet, after producing the proof of construction, the Gaon Kalyan Samiittee of Bolani village had recommended name of one Bijay Das to execute the job of construction of all 268 toilets in their village on behalf of the beneficiaries.
The contractor reportedly had executed and taken the full payment, after claiming for the same with proof of photographs of toilets.