SANGUEM
Drama unfolded in Netravali a day after a local panchayat member accused the Netravali Sarpanch, Bunda Varak, of alleged misappropriation of funds under the Pradhanmantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana and for allegedly forging the signature of the panchayat secretary.
Minister for Social Welfare and Sanguem MLA Subhash Phaldessai and Director of Agriculture Sandeep Phaldessai swung into action on Thursday and convened a meeting at Vichundrem-Netravali village to defuse the controversy caused by Panch Rakhi Naik over the last few days.
While Panch Rakhi Naik alleged that beneficiaries under the scheme included the wife of the Sarpanch and a panchayat member, besides family members of other panchayat members, Director of Agriculture Sandeep Phaldessai clarified that no such misappropriation of funds under PKSY had taken place in the village. He insisted that the funds were allotted by the department to deserving beneficiaries.
Phaldessai informed that though the list of eligible beneficiaries is forwarded to the agriculture department by the village-level committee headed by the Sarpanch, the final allocation and disbursal of funds are done by the Agriculture Department after due verification of individual cases.
Officials also pointed out that the charges levelled against the Sarpanch of having forged the signature of the panchayat secretary were false. They clarified that on the day of the gram sabha held to discuss the Yojana, the regular secretary was absent and as such, the minutes of the gram sabha forwarded to the Agriculture Department were signed by his reliever.
Minister for Social Welfare Subhash Phaldessai appealed to villagers to work unitedly and avail themselves of the maximum benefit under the Yojana, rather than resort to infighting among themselves. “If there is any incident of misappropriation of funds, it will be looked into and the guilty will be punished,” assured Phaldessai.
Incidentally, before the meeting could begin, tension unfolded outside the meeting hall with a large number of villagers hurling abuses and allegations against the Sarpanch and not permitting him to walk to the dais.
A large police force deputed at the site to maintain law and order, however, prevented any untoward incident and escorted him to the dais.
Sarpanch Bunda Varak spoke on total transparency in the selection of beneficiaries and allocation of funds under the Yojana. Varak even offered to resign as Sarpanch and as panchayat member if any of the allegations against him were proved by authorities.
