Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 1: Harshdev Singh NPP chairman, has alleged large scale mis-appropriation and embezzlement of funds allocated for the construction of Samba-Mansar road and Mansar-Barigarh road in district Samba by R&B (PWD) Department.
In a statement, he said that despite huge amounts of funds provided and incurred for construction and upgradation of the said roads, the R&B Department has failed to show any tangible output on the ground. “R&B Deptt had claimed to have spent Rs 4 crore approx for the improvement and upgradation of Samba-Mansar road which still was in shambles and no visible impact appeared to have been created despite huge expenditure,” he alleged.
Mr Harshdev said that highly dilapidated condition of road speaks volumes about the irregularities and leakages galore in the process of execution. Likewise Mansar-Barigarh road was approved under NABARD in 2010-11 and Rs 4 crore were sanctioned for the said road also, he said adding that the earth work of the said road had already been completed before its NABARD sanction under district and State plans.
He regretted that the funds provided under NABARD for the said road were siphoned off, misappropriated and diverted and the work on the said scheme was abandoned by the department leading to great public unrest and resentment.
Lambasting the R&B Deptt for its criminal apathy and conduct, Harshdev Singh sought a high level probe into the total amount expended vis a vis sanctioned amount, the physical progress achieved on the ground, the funds diverted as well the funds still unspent together with the reasons for negligible output and poor performance. He said that the issues of inferior quality work and embezzlement of funds on the said two roads were vociferously raised during the previous budget session of legislative Assembly where the Minister concerned had assured of early enquiry and positive action in the matter. He deplored that no action had been taken despite Assembly commitment by the Minister incharge R&B thus allowing the defaulting agencies and delinquents to go scot free.
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