The members of Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday expressed concern over rising cases of corruption in panchayats across the state on the sixth day of the Budget session.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur ordered a timebound vigilance probe into funds granted for developmental works in panchayats .
During the question hour, Shillai legislator Harshwardhan Chauhan expressed his concern over rampant corruption in panchayats in his constituency. While speaking on the complaints filed against pradhan and block officials for misuse of funds in the last three years, Chauhan said that corruption in panchayats has increased manifold in the last 10 years. He also expressed his inability to check corruption in panchayats in his constituency.
Chauhan has written to the rural development minister on the matter, but to no avail. Citing an example, where block development office in Shillai had sanctioned ₹5 lakh for construction of school ground, he said no funds were spent on construction of the ground. Chauhan claimed that funds to the tune of ₹200 crore sanctioned under MNREGA had been embezzled in his constituency. He alleged that funds were being misused with connivance of pradhans, block officials and panchayat secretary. He said pradhans paid 5% to 10 % commission for release of funds for panchayat development.
Rural development minister Virender Kanwar said that his department received 15 complaints from Shillai, of which eight, were pending while others were solved. Kanwar assured Chauhan that he initiate an inquiry into the embezzlement of funds in all the 48 panchayats in Shillai assembly segment before the panchayat elections slated for December this year.
{{/usCountry}}Rural development minister Virender Kanwar said that his department received 15 complaints from Shillai, of which eight, were pending while others were solved. Kanwar assured Chauhan that he initiate an inquiry into the embezzlement of funds in all the 48 panchayats in Shillai assembly segment before the panchayat elections slated for December this year.
{{/usCountry}}Nurpur legislator Rakesh Pathania demanded a probe by vigilance bureau in the matter while Nadaun legislator Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu sought action against the panchayat pradhan of Galorh panchayat.
Thakur said that in most cases of corruption, whenever an action is taken against a pradhan, they are shielded by legislators. Thakur appealed legislators not to protect pradhans involved in corrupt practices.