A departmental inquiry has been started into the alleged corruption cases in the panchayat department during the Left Front rule when Surjya Kanta Mishra was the panchayat affairs minister.
“I have ordered departmental inquiry into corruption cases relating to Nirmal Gram scheme and Sishu Siksha Kendra (SSK) and Madhyamik Siksha Kendra (MKS) scheme,” state panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee announced on Tuesday.
He elaborated that the inquiry would try to find out as to how much funds the state received under Nirmal Gram scheme for sanitation programmes in the villages and how much money was spent and how. “Which agencies like NGOs were involved in the implementation of the scheme will also be looked into,” he added.
Mr Mukherjee alleged that there were major irregularities in the appointment of teachers for the SSK and MSK schemes in the rural areas.
“Centre had given approval for the appointment of a certain number of people under these schemes but many other — mostly party cadres — were given appointment. Since the state government is paying their salaries, it is a big drain on the exchequer,” he added.
Dr Mishra who is at present leader of Opposition in the Assembly, said he was unperturbed. “The government has been making such charges for a long time. I am not bothered,” he added.