BELLARY: Chief Executive Officer of the Bellary Zilla Panchayat C.M. Shirol has announced the suspension of the Secretary of the G. Nagalapur Gram Panchayat in Hospet taluk for his alleged violations of norms while implementing the Indira Awas Yojana housing scheme. The zilla panchayat has also recommended action against the president of the gram panchayat for his alleged involvement in the matter.

Violation

Mr. Shirol told The Hindu that the panchayat secretary had released 50 per cent of the amount under the scheme to the beneficiaries even before the construction of houses had begun. This was in contravention of the rules and guidelines, which stipulated that the amount should be released in three instalments only after the progress of the projects had been ascertained, he said, and added that the first instalment was to be released only after the foundations and plinths of the houses had been constructed.

He said the action had been taken against the official following an inquiry conducted into the matter based on allegations made by Siraj Sheikh, former MLA, that funds to the tune of Rs. 10.25 lakh had been misused under the housing scheme and not a single house had been constructed.

Scheme

As many as 41 houses had been allotted to the G. Nagalapur Gram Panchayat in Hospet taluk under the Krishna Valley Flood Relief Programme.

The president of the gram panchayat had admitted in a written statement released to presspersons by Mr. Sheikh recently that he had signed blank cheques under the housing scheme and had received Rs. 28,000 in return.

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