3 Govt officials suspended for PMAY fund misuse

PHULBANI: Kandhamal Collector Brunda D on Friday suspended three Government employees and recommended the Panchayati Raj department to take disciplinary action against K Nuagaon Block Development Officer (BDO) over irregularities in implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

They are senior clerks Suresh Chandra Padhy and Sachidananda Digal, Mahasinghi Panchayat Executive Officer (PEO) Kartikeswar Behera and BDO Parikshita Jena of K Nuagaon block. The Collector took the action against the employees basing on the inquiry report submitted by the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) recently.

Sources said under the PMAY scheme, a work order was issued to Banita Dalabehera of Sitapaju village in Adhimaha panchayat in 2017-18, but she did not execute the work. However, unscrupulous clerks, without conducting any inquiry, released `one lakh in three instalments in favour of the beneficiary.

In another case, Kartikeswar issued a work order of `1.30 lakh to Bareswar Digal of Gochhapada village by showing an old house.In both the cases, the BDO did not inquire into the matter before releasing the fund. As a result, lakhs of rupees under PMAY scheme have been misappropriated.