The State Cabinet on Wednesday ordered a probe into the alleged misappropriation of Rs. 1,909.07 crore sanctioned for civil works under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyaan (RMSA).
A team of officials of Law, Public Works, and Primary and Secondary Education departments would conduct the probe into the execution of 2,010 works taken up under the scheme during the Bharatiya Janata Party government. The panel had been asked to submit the report in two months, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra told presspersons here.
The Centre has stopped releasing funds for the RMSA in the State following allegations that officials and contractors had claimed money by producing fake bills. The State’s share in the project was Rs. 1,119.53 crore, of which Rs. 641.17 crore had been released. Poor quality of work, payments for incomplete works, and other irregularities had been noticed in the project which is funded jointly by Union and State governments, Mr. Jayachandra said. Earlier, a complaint was filed with the Karnataka Lokayukta seeking a probe. However, the government has decided to continue the implementation of the RMSA which would benefit students in rural schools, Mr. Jayachandra said.
Winter session
The winter session of legislature will be held in Belagavi from November 21 to December 2. The State Cabinet on Wednesday decided to hold the session at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha and issues pertaining to North Karnataka would dominate the proceedings, Mr. Jayachandra said.
