Tribals of the Sunabeda plateau in Nuapada district have interesting revelations about the ‘PC’ (percentage) system in their villages.
“The PC is always 30 per cent or more,” they say.
There are about 50 villages in Sunabeda wild life sanctuary area located at a distance of more than 100 km from the district headquarters, Nuapada. Chakotia Bhunjia, one of the PVTGs, Paharia and Gond tribes reside here. Being a Maoist-hit area, it attracts much attention of administration for development.
“But the administration is least concerned of the quality,” say the villagers.
“Please don’t reveal our names, payment of some works has not yet been made; we have learnt that the files are on the table of the Collector madam for signature,” they reveal.
The district administration has sanctioned 27 projects under Gopabandhu Grameen Yojana (GGY) with a total cost of Rs 1.15 crore in the financial year 2016-17. Seven out of the total projects are for water resource development and the rest are for road sector development. The Village level leaders are implementing the works in their respective villages under the supervision of the Chakotia Bhunjia Development Agency (CBDA), which is the executing agency of GGY in Sunabeda area. The CBDA has already submitted utilisation for Rs 90 lakh.
“The Junior Engineer and the Assistant Engineer of CBDA visit the sites for check-measurement,” say the villagers. “They check the work jointly but the JE deducts the PC and distributes the share while making the payment to the Vlls,” add the villagers and further elaborate how the PC system operates.
All materials required for the works like cement, iron etc, are supplied by the JE. He comes to the village with the money after the payments are released and distributes the amount. First, he takes away 30 per cent, saying that the amount belongs to the officials. Then he calculates the expenditure on materials supplied by him and wage of labourers employed by the Vll.
“The amounts are kept separately. Then he deducts royalty and VAT, which is kept on one place. The balance amount is equally divided in two shares - one for the Vll and the other for the JE. The Vll takes his share along with the cost of labour and all other shares belong to the JE,” say the villagers.
“Thanks Naveen and his servants; he is giving in one hand and taking back on the other,” they say.