Congress alleges ₹100 cr corruption in Dahod under MGNREGA, demands investigation

Corruption worth ₹100 crore has taken place in Dahod district under the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) scheme, alleged Congress MLA Amit Chavda on Monday while addressing a press conference.

The Opposition leader stated that people have submitted to him a sworn statement saying that ₹100 crore has taken place in the MGNREGA scheme in Devgadh Baria taluka of Dahod district. Chavda, along with the petitioners, have demanded action against the responsible.

As per Chavda, in Kuva village of Devgadh Baria, 44 roads spanning 17 km are approved in the MGNREGA scheme, similarly, 33 roads that are 13 km long have been approved in another village, Redhana. A large amount of corruption has been committed in all these works, claimed Chavda.

The allegations levelled at the authority claim that these are works worth about ₹47 lakh. In which work is approved, not a single rupee of work is done on-site, however, the bills are generated, money is paid, and corruption of crores of rupees takes place.

Despite continuous representations by the local people for the last three years, corruption has not stopped and no strict action has been taken by the government to stop corruption, so there is a clear allegation by the locals that corruption is going on there with the blessings of the local minister, alleged Chavda.

According to the allegation, three agencies take contracts to supply materials for check dam works, soil, metal, road works, lake deepening works, canal improvement works, and hand pump and bore works – Raj Traders, Raj Construction, and NJ Enterprise. Chavda stated that the administrators and owners of these agencies are close to a local minister.

Local people have said, as per Chavda, that these agencies have been paid for the projects, but no work has been done, and when complaints are made against these agencies, no action is taken due to political backing.

The Congress demanded from the government that in the last three years, corruption worth more than ₹100 crore has taken place despite repeated representations with evidence that corruption is going on in the MGNREGA scheme in the entire Dahod district, no investigation or action has been taken till date.

“We demand an investigation by an SIT (Special Investigation Team) and vigilance, and strictest action should be taken against whoever is responsible,” said Chavda.

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