ANANTAPUR: The district-level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee on the implementation of rural development programmes has cautioned officials executing the schemes to have better accountability, so that there is a positive impact of the expenditure on beneficiaries.

In its maiden review meeting held here on Friday under the chairmanship of A. Venkatarami Reddy, Anantapur MP, the panel members -- particularly MPPs -- alleged that except the sarpanches and officials implementing the schemes, others, including beneficiaries, were hardly aware of the details. Several MPPs who attended the meeting, other nominated members of the committee, MPs and the lone MLA alleged that utilisation of watershed funds was being done without participation of villagers and sarpanches. The PIA and WDT officials were running the show by drawing funds after taking signatures of sarpanches on cheques.

. Watershed funds

The committee chairman said irresponsibility would not be tolerated on the utilisation of funds when officials fumbled to give details about spending on watersheds sanctioned in 1999-2000.

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