Bhopal: Corruption mars 40% of projects, three govt agencies under scanner

Bhopal: CTE’s investigation into the allegations of corruption in Bundelkhand Mitigation Package has exposed the irregularities in execution of projects undertaken by Mandi Board and some other institutions. The Chief Technical Examiner in its report has pointed out various anomalies in over 40 per cent projects undertaken in the region by these government agencies.

Projects worth Rs 470 crore were taken up by Mandi Board, Warehousing and logistics Corporation and State Cooperative Marketing Federation under the Bundelkhand mitigation package. In the year 2009, the UPA government had allocated Rs 3800 crore to the Bundelkhand area reeling under drought. The state government was made the executing agency.

The three government agencies had executed various works including construction of ware house, Mandi and haat bazaar in six districts of the Bundelkhand region, including Sagar, Damoh, Tikamgarh, Panna, Chattarpur and Datia. The Mandi Board had executed the work worth Rs 242 crore, Warehousing and logistics Corporation had done the works worth Rs 169 crore, while The Cooperative Marketing Federation had undertaken projects worth Rs 57 crore. The three agencies had undertaken works in 67 places, while it had also constructed haat bazaar at 27 places.

Looking into the anomalies, the CTE team found that during the executing of the projects, many norms and guidelines were compromised. There were flaws in the DPR, while some of them were even incomplete. Even the consultant had not worked as per the contract.

Huge amount spent on the constriction of the haat bazaar in Narsingharh, Nandrai, Banawar, Digoda, Jaisinagar Chandera has gone down the drain as they not in use any more for they have nothing to offer as far as required facilities are concerned.

In Narsingharh, Banawar and others places, the agency had selected wrong site for haat bazaar.  In many places the projects carried out by Mandi board were not handover by the construction agency and when asked by the CTE, the board officials were not able to present the required papers. Warehouses constructed under the project were badly executed. Many of them are out of use and lie vacant as they lack approach road and other basic facility.

The CTE team had found in at in almost all places the quality of construction was compromised. There were several shortcomings in the wall structure, floor strength, roof quality, wall plaster. Electrifications in the buildings were not taken up as per specification, while the agency cared least to ensure availability water in the haat.

Social activist Pawan Ghuwara had taken up the issues of irregularities in the implementation of the project, however the state government turned a blind eye to his complaints. Thereafter he had filed a petition in the High Court.

The HC ordered the CTE to conduct the investigations and to submit the report to the concern departments. In the series of scam, the nine member team of CTE conducted the investigations and submitted the report containing of 1180 pages to the general administration department on September 29, 2017, the GAD forwarded the report to agriculture department, on October 9 to take actions against the negligent officials.

“The motive of the package was to improve the lot of the farmers and develop the region, however all money has gone into the pockets of the corrupt officials. If the haat bazaar and warehouses were constructed properly, this may have changed the life of the farmers in the region, but unfortunately this has not happened”, alleged Ghuwara.