1 week Ago
Vadodara: The District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) in Dahod has filed a police complaint over a scam amounting to at least Rs 71 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), involving two talukas in the district. The offence alleges large-scale irregularities, including the procurement of materials from unauthorised vendors and falsification of completed work records. The complaint was lodged by Dahod district DRDA director BM Patel following an internal inquiry that uncovered the irregularities.
The district panchayat had directed the DRDA to investigate the matter twice—first in Jan and again in March. The issue gained traction after Congress Legislative Party leader Amit Chavda raised it in the state assembly in March, prompting the govt to promise a formal investigation. According to Patel's disclosure, materials worth Rs 60.
9 lakh were procured from unauthorised vendors in Devgadh Baria taluka , while another Rs 10.1 lakh worth of materials were sourced similarly in Dhanpur taluka. Under the MGNREGA procurement policy, materials must be purchased from vendors selected through a competitive bidding process, with contracts awarded to those offering the lowest rates.
However, vendors outside this process not only supplied materials but also received payment for their bills. The scam goes beyond material procurement. Investigations revealed that completion certificates were issued for roadworks that were either incomplete or not executed at all.
Of the 60.6 km of road construction planned under the scheme, only 28.7 km has actually been completed on the ground.
The irregularities have surfaced specifically in Duva and Redhana villages of Devgadh Baria taluka and Simamoi village in Dhanpur taluka. While the FIR does not name specific individuals, it holds accountable those heading the agencies that misappropriated funds and govt officials who failed in their duties. The Congress party, however, has alleged that a minister's son is involved in the scam.
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