Lokpal has recommended the Chhattisgarh government to file an FIR against government employees who were found to be involved in financial irregularities in setting up a nursery of ‘Arjuna’ trees.
The anti-corruption ombudsman in a recent order further directed the state government to recover Rs 2 lakh from the accused employees.
The Lokpal was referring to a nursery project the agriculture department proposed to prepare at Baikuntpur under MGNREGA scheme.
According to Tulika Prajapati, CEO, Zila Panchayat, Khadangaon resident Rampratap had registered a written complaint in 2017 that at village panchayat Jilda under Janpad Panchayat Khadgaon, there were misappropriation of funds in the Rs 16-lakh nursery project being implemented by agriculture department as nodal agency under the MGNREGA.
Lokpal conducted the probe after seeking evidences from both sides and found that fake bills of total Rs 93,500 were used to procure ‘Arjun’ seeds while fake attendance of workers were taken though which Rs 1.8 lakh was embezzled.
It was done by agriculture department surveyor R. K. Vaishnav and his associate Shrawan Kumar.
As the probe found the complaint was true, the Lokpal recommended filing of the FIR and recovery of money. The recovered money should be deposited to the state’s MGNREGA funds, the Lokpal said.