Local BJD leader allegedly involved in massive MGNREGS scam in Odisha’s Jajpur

Dasarathpur: Pradeep Kumar Mohanty aka Narana, who previously was the district representative of former Revenue Minister Pramila Mallik, has allegedly embezzled lakhs of rupees through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in Jajpur district.

Interestingly, the local BJD leader Mohanty has a luxurious car and a two-storey building of his own. Hence, he does not deserve to avail of the benefits under MGNREGS and hold a job card as well.

Even as poor people do not get benefits under this scheme, several well-to-do persons and people’s representatives in Dasarathpur manage to obtain job cards in the name of their family members.

According to sources, Mohanty is a former sarpanch of Gramanandipur panchayat in the block. Along with him, several others namely Mohanty’s wife and present sarpanch Sanjukta, their two sons Ashirbad and Debasish are job cardholders. The family has embezzled the funds through false bills.

Job Card No-OR-20-006-019-002/4789707 has the names of Pradeep Mohanty and his wife Sanjukta as beneficiaries of the scheme. The couple has shown that they worked from April 17, 2020 to July 26, 2020 and accordingly received a payment of Rs 19,458 for working for 94 days. They fraudulently worked for the restoration of Petanala, Bhandeswar Pond, and the development of two farmlands.

Similarly, Ashirbad and Debasish have been shown as beneficiaries against Job Card Nos-OR-20-006-019-002/4789708 and OR-20-006-019-002/4789709, respectively. Ashirbad has worked for 119 man-days under the MGNREGS from April 17, 2020 to April 29, 2023 and has been paid Rs 27,446. He claimed to have worked for the restoration of Petanala and construction work at Suradiha Bandha etc.

Likewise, Debasish has claimed to have worked from May 8, 2020 to December 17, 2022 for 119 man-days under the rural employment guarantee scheme and has received a payment of Rs 28,219.

Notably, despite written complaints made before Jajpur Collector, Dasarathpur BDO, and MGNREGS project director (PD), no action has allegedly been taken by the district and local administrations.