Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jul 15: The zilla panchayat session held here on Tuesday July 14 covered many topics of interest, and members actively participated in discussions.

 Zilla panchayat chief executive officer and in-charge deputy commissioner of the district Prasanna Kumar said that criminal complaints will be registered against those involved with a fraud involving digging of agricultural pits under a scheme of the union government.  He said that the zilla panchayat has found that the irregularities as alleged had indeed taken place.

Zilla panchayat member Raju Poojary raised the topic, by saying that the money under the scheme had been misused to a large extent by creating fake records. He pointed out that in Yadtare village of Kundapur taluk, bills were prepared and amounts were drawn without actually digging the pits. He said, the officials have usurped the funds by filling wrong information names etc., and preparing fake vouchers.  Poojary demanded for registering criminal cases against the concerned, in addition to handing over the investigation to the Lokayukta.

The chief executive officer said that it was found that money was withdrawn in case of 13 beneficiaries without actually digging any pits. He promised to hold investigations in Karkala and Udupi taluks too, to find out as to whether any irregularities were committed under this scheme there.

It may be noted, that under the Rashtreeya Krishi Vikas scheme, the irrigation department gets funds for digging agricultural pits just before the monsoon season, to help the water percolate down to the underground water table, so that it will help in enriching the underground water sources for future use.

As the zilla panchayat members strongly demanded for banning ore truck movement on the highway because of the damage they have caused to the roads and bridges, it was decided to give two days time for the parked trucks to leave and then enforce the ban.