Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 26: Alleging large scale corruption in the Rural Development Department (RDD), All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC)—a frontline body of elected PRI members— today demanded a high-level independent probe to expose corrupt elements in the department.
“During our ongoing UT-wide tour programmes, the PRI members and local people have seriously raised the concerns of widespread corruption in the RDD. From swindling public money to demanding 30-40% commission from unemployed youth engaged in carrying out development activities, officials of the department, right from top to Panchayat Secretary level, have resorted to corrupt practices which need to be curbed without any delay,” Anil Sharma, UT president of AJKPC said.
Sharma, who was addressing a gathering of Sarpanchs, Panchs, Panchayat gardeners and chowkidars here, said that, “Unemployed youth in rural areas, who have been engaged in carrying out development activities, are being exploited by corrupt officers and officials of the department as the latter don’t clear their bills and release payments for projects, which are nearly completed, without charging hefty commissions from them,” Sharma said.
“These unemployed youth, who may be called ‘small contractors’ in local parlance are unable to work with so many bribes. Whenever these small contractors ask for release of their payment, these corrupt officials having total patronage of their higher ups, ask for a 30-40% bribe. This work culture has been hampering development activities adversely,” the AJKPC leader said while expressing serious concern over the silence of authorities.
The AJKPC chief said that the Government should immediately order an independent probe into the large-scale prevailing corrupt practices in the department and take stringent action against all corrupt officials. Sharma also demanded that an audit and probe should be conducted into the funds release and expenditure made in the administrative components under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA.
AJKPC vice president Ram Saroop Sharma and other members were also present on the occasion.
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