The Sarpanch and the Panchayat Executive Officer (PEO) of Ghantiguda Gram Panchayat in Sinapali block in Nuapada district have allegedly misappropriated more that Rs 2.5 lakh allotted to the panchayat under the scheme of Thirteenth Finance Commission (TFC), beautification and Kendu leaf grant.
People of the panchayat have filed a written complaint before the District Collector of Nuapada in this regard and demanded immediate action. “The Sarpanch Saubhagya Gahir and the PEO Balaram Tandi have withdrawn Rs 2:61 lakh in total on February 14 from the bank account of the panchayat without availing any sanction from the Block Office. They have not even done the work,” said Manuram Jagat and Basanti Sagaria, Ward Members of the panchayat.
The panchayat had received Rs 1:50 lakh from the TFC and Rs 68,000 from Kl grant and Rs 43,000 from beautification grant from the district. According to the guideline, the panchayat should have opened the file for the works and availed sanction from the Block Development Officer to start the work before withdrawal of fund as advance.
“I have not received any proposal from the panchayat, and it is clear that they have misappropriated the fund,” said Sinapali BDO Mrutyunjaya Panda.
The ward members of Ghantiguda Panchayat have also met the Project Director of DRDA Pradip Kumar Naik to appraise him about the matter. “An inquiry is going on. The PEO had been suspended more than once in the past for his fraudulent activities. This time, we are going to take stern action against him,” said Naik.