[Reader-list] "Panchayati Raj" in CPI(M)'s West Bengal

[V Ramaswamy]

*Audit exposes panchayat lapses*
Statesman News Service

KOLKATA, March 24: Hundreds of panchayats, mostly controlled by the
CPI-M, have been steeped in corruption and financial irregularities to the
tune of crore of rupees during the past few years. The audit report on the
state panchayati raj institutions, tabled in the Assembly today, has laid
bare this tangled web of malpractices.
In many cases not only money provided by different Central schemes was
diverted, but people living below the poverty line for whom the schemes were
meant, were deprived.
In 1,573 gram panchayats Rs 37.67 crore was spent during 2004-05 towards
assistance under Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) for construction and upgradation
of huts, but none of the beneficiaries were from the BPL list. The scheme
was specifically meant for this segment of the population. It "shows lack of
internal control in selection of beneficiaries as per the guidelines of the
scheme", the report stated.
In another instance of corruption of colossal proportions, Rs 259.54 crore
was given to the beneficiaries for constructing 68,245 sanitary latrines in
1,328 gram panchayats and 78,766 smokeless chullahs in 1,592
panchayats during 2004-05, but not a single such unit has come up.
During 2002-2005 11 panchayat samitis spent Rs 84.85 lakh for Central
schemes under Sampoorna Gramin Rojgar Yojana (SGRY) by engaging contractors.
The guidelines stipulate that no contractor can be engaged for such schemes
devised for the benefit of the rural poor. Thus, the erring
panchayat samitis gave undue favours to contractors with funds that could
have "ensured employment generation of 82,113 mandays", the report stated.
In another bizarre instance of irregularities, the guidelines of SGRY were
twisted in such a manner that funds were spent for religious purposes though
the scheme "prohibits" such use.
Two panchayat samitis of South 24-Parganas incurred expenditure to the tune
of Rs 37.43 lakh for wages, materials and foodgrain valued at Rs
4.56lakh toward wages, for constructing sheds, fencing, bus stands,
road, ramps,
towers and hogla sheds for the Ganga Sagar mela in 2004.