Amritsar, May 16
Preliminary inspection of government funds distributed by the SAD-BJP government before the Assembly elections has revealed that crores of rupees have been embezzled by many panchayats in connivance with officials of the Rural Development Department.
The survey of four out of 16 blocks of this border district, conducted by Additional Deputy Commissioner Harbhupinder Singh Nanda, detected embezzlement of about Rs 1 crore. In certain cases the entire amount of ‘sangat darshan’ has been embezzled. The funds were withdrawn from the respective sarpanches and panchayat secretaries which were later misappropriated. In such cases no utilisation certificates were issued by the appropriate authorities. Interestingly, certain non-existing rural clubs were also given grants with a view to wooing the young voters before the Assembly elections.
The comprehensive village-wise inspection of 1013 works in four blocks, including Verka (69 villages), Jandiala Guru (76 villages), Harsha Chinna (57 villages) and Gandiwind (45 villages), showing glaring discrepancies, is likely to be submitted to the state government shortly. The physical inspection by the Additional Deputy Commissioner recommended recovery of about Rs 1 crore, these included Verka block (Rs 19.27 lakh), Gandiwind block (Rs 14 lakh), Jandiala Guru block (Rs 5.13 lakh) and Harsha Chinna block (Rs 45.12 lakh) respectively.
According to sources, most of the panchayat secretaries, including a relative of the then Minister for Rural Development, Mr Nirmal Singh Kahlon, who has already been sacked, embezzled the funds distributed in the ‘sangat darshan’.
The inspection note reads that certain panchayats did not cooperate with the visiting team. The inspecting team found that 35 works in Verka block were incomplete while such discrepancies were also found in 26 works in Gandiwind block, 15 works in Jandiala block and 116 works in Harsha Chinna.
In Rampura Abdali village (Verka block) old bricks were used while carrying out the work from the funds allocated during the sangat darshan. Similar irregularities were also found in other villages. The report reads that the funds allocated to youth clubs, including Baserke Gillan (Verka) could not be utilised as these were ‘spent’ without even the knowledge of the panchayats. However, certain sarpanches, including village serai Amanat Khan (block Gandiwind) did not appear before the inspecting team to show the utilisation of funds. In another case of mis-utilisation of development work, the inspection note states that the sum of Rs 50,000 allocated for development work in Varpal Kalan village, (Jandiala Guru block) were used for replacing a roof of a religious place which ought to be recovered.
