Raichur: The Raichur Zilla Panchayat, at its meeting here on Saturday, unanimously passed a resolution for submitting a report to the State Government recommending suspension of Jadiyappa, District Officer of the Social Welfare Department here, immediately for his alleged involvement in irregularities in the purchase of material for hostels of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes in the district.

Roopa Niranjan Bale, president of the zilla panchayat, who chaired the meeting, asked Manjunath Prasad, Chief Executive Officer of the zilla panchayat, to prepare a detailed note on the irregularities in the Social Welfare Department and despatch it to the Government recommending immediate suspension of its district officer. She also asked him to identify the cooperative societies which were allegedly involved and issue a notification blacklisting them.

Former Minister and Kalmala MLA Muniyappa Muddappa, Raichur MLA A. Papa Reddy and other members of the zilla panchayat, including Harinarayana and Basheeruddin, alleged that the officer concerned had purchased food material and furniture for various hostels in the district at exorbitant prices from non-existent cooperative societies.

The official favoured one person, who owned nine cooperative societies in his name, while finalising tenders called for supply of material and foodgrains, they said.

Poor quality

In the last one year, the department had cleared bills worth more than Rs. 1 crore. But the material supplied by the cooperative societies were of poor quality and in many cases they claimed lakhs of rupees by raising false bills.

The Chief Executive Officer told the meeting that he had conducted an investigation and found that the concerned official was involved in irregularities.

He would submit a detailed report to the Government within three days recommending immediate suspension of the officer. He would also issue a notification blacklisting cooperative societies which were involved in the scandal, he said.

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