Congress firm on statewide probe

BHUBANESWAR: Even as the CBI has started probing alleged irregularities in the implementation of MGNREGS in six districts following the directive of the Supreme Court, the Congress on Wednesday demanded the ambit of probe should be extended to all 30 districts.“Corruption in the implementation of MGNREGS is rampant in all the 30 districts. Therefore, the CBI investigation should cover the entire State instead of six districts,” Working President of the OPCC Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra told mediapersons here.Mohapatra said a PIL will be filed in the apex court urging it to order investigation in all districts. He said Congress teams have gone to all the 30 districts to collect data about the large-scale irregularities. The Centre will be apprised after the Congress teams submit their reports.The Congress leader alleged that work orders in the name of engineers and government employees were issued in all the districts in gross violation of rules framed under MGNREGA. According to guidelines, work orders should not be issued in the name of junior engineer but to the Gram Rozgar Sanjojak, he said.Mohapatra said a decision was taken at the review meeting of DRDA project directors on September 8, 2009, to open a machine cell at the district level, headed by the collector, violating guidelines. It said the BDOs would apply to the machine cell for approval to use machines in MGNREGS works.The CBI probe has already started in Rayagada, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Balangir and Koraput districts. On May 12,  the Supreme Court directed CBI to probe the alleged corruption in the rural job scheme.The court gave the direction while disposing of a PIL filed by a Delhi-based NGO Centre for Environment and Food Security (CEFS) which alleged Rs 500 crore scam in the implementation of MGNREGA in the State.CBI had been directed to submit its preliminary investigation report within six months. The State Government has provided police officers, nodal officers in each district and vehicles at the disposal of the CBI.