The Odisha Lokayukta has issued notices to six State government officials to file reports on the implementation of development projects in Nagada village of Jajpur district, which hogged the headlines in 2016 for the deaths of 19 infants, mostly due to malnutrition.
The State government had announced several focused development interventions in 2016 after the remoteness, inaccessibility and general backwardness of Nagada village were highlighted by the media and opposition political parties.
Activists, however, pointed out that despite huge fund allocation and utilisation, the village continued to lag behind on various development parameters.
‘Funds misappropriated’
Pradip Pradhan, an RTI activist, had moved the Odisha Lokayukta alleging that funds meant for different developmental works were grossly misappropriated.
“Most of the funds have been misappropriated and wrongly utilised by the officials of all line departments, for which there is no substantial improvement in the life and livelihood of tribal people,” Mr. Pradhan alleged in his complaint.
He had demanded an inquiry into the alleged corruption in various works and legal action against the officials responsible for embezzlement of funds.
Though ₹15 crore for the construction of a road from Ashokjhar foothills to lower Nagada was probably the most fund sanctioned for any road to a tribal village in Odisha, Mr. Pradhan said the road was so substandard that it became non-motorable within three years.
As per RTI information, ₹1.8 crore was spent to provide electricity to Nagada households. “During our several field visits, we found that electricity connections had not been provided to any household in all three Nagada village settlements. Electricity motor, switchboards and wires were found dumped in the fields and backyards. It was sheer wastage of public money,” said the activist. In order to supply clean drinking water, the Odisha government had allocated ₹53.56 lakh. “The inquiry by civil society members suggests that the project has completely failed. Water filter supplied to each household is being used to store rice and other foodgrains. We found no water supply in the village. Tribal people continue to collect water from streams for drinking purposes,” he said.
Taking note of the allegations, the Lokayukta has asked the project director of District Rural Development Agency, Jajpur, block development officer of Sukinda, executive engineers of rural development, power supply and water and sanitation and the district social welfare officer of Jajpur to file their replies on the allegations of misappropriation within six weeks.
The Lokayukta is scheduled to hear the matter next on December 9.
Earlier, the National Human Rights Commission had directed the Odisha Chief Secretary to submit a report as to why there had not been any perceptible change in the lives of people of Nagada despite the government spending crores of rupees.
Most underdeveloped
Nagada, inhabited by the Juang tribe, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group, is one of the most underdeveloped areas in Odisha. It is close to Sukinda Valley, which has 90% of India’s chromite reserves. Several leading industrial houses of country are involved in mining in the valley.
