Union Minister frowns at Assam DRDA irregularities

Guwahati, Aug 8 (UNI) Taking strong exception to the reported irregularities in the District Rural Development Agencies of Assam, Union Minister for Rural Development Raghuvansh Prasad Singh said all those officers found guilty would be dealt with strictly.

Speaking to reporters here through video conference from New Delhi, Mr Prasad admitted that there were complaints of slow progress of works under the Rural Development department and the works lacked transparency.

'' I have written to the Chief Ministers of the concerning states, including Assam, to monitor the implementation of schemes of rural development programmes. Anyone found guilty of misappropriating fund or involved in any irregularity ought to be punished, '' he said.

According to official sources, the majority of the RTI applications filed related to works under the rural development, while there were reports of officers refusing to entertain such RTI applications.

Reports of assaults, threats and attacks on applicants seeking informations were also cropping up.

Denying having any specific information regarding the irregularities, the Union Minister pointed out to the monitoring mechanism adopted by the Ministry for proper implementation of the schemes.

'' We are organising training at the ground level. Vigilance committees has been set up, while other authorities are empowered to monitor the schemes. We are also conducting random surveys by national level officers, '' Mr Singh said ruing that there was lack of awareness among the masses, which was a big drawback.

Asked about the destruction of houses built under the Indira Awaas Yojana by flood, the Minister assured that if the state government was able to give the record of such damage, the Ministry would reconstruct the houses.

Significantly, while almost all the projects under the Indira Awaas Yojana were carried out through contractors in Assam, the Minister said according to norms, no third party should be roped into the scheme.

'' The beneficiary should get the complete amount sanctioned - Rs 25,000 and an additional Rs 1,200 for sanitation, '' Mr Singh said.

Outlining the amount sanctioned under his Ministry, the Minister stressed on the speedy implementation of the projects. '' The insurgency problem would automatically vanish once rural development picks up, '' he said.

He said under the NREGA, a total of 572.92 lakh mandays employment were generated in Assam during 2006-07.

Under the IAY, 1,25,411 houses were constructed against the target of 1,09,214 during the same period.

The Minister also said under the PMGSY, proposals amounting to Rs 3149.70 crore, for a length of 7239.27 km road works had been cleared by the Ministry.

UNI