Forest Minister announces to conduct probe
Raipur, July 28, 2010
BJP MLA Santosh Bafna has alleged of huge irregularities in plantation and afforestation works carried out by the Forest department in the entire state including Bastar. “Startling facts have emerged as the places selected for plantation drives falsify the claims of Forest department that it has spent huge amount on these works.” charged Bafna during the question hour during the Vidhan Sabha’s monsoon session on Wednesday. Leader of the Opposition Ravindra Choubey also alleged of huge scam in plantation drives.
Denying the allegations, Forest Minister Vikram Usendi announced in the House to conduct probe into the plantation works done at bank of river Indrawati in Bafna’s presence.
Bafna inquired about the total amount sanctioned for Jagdalpur forest division’s development, security and conservation in 2008-09 and 2009-10. Referring to the written answer given by Usendi in this connection, Bafna pointed out that in spite of the minister’s claims that Rs 3 crore had been spent on bamboo plantation and Rs 6 crore in afforestation, the ground realty implied that the fund had been misused. He alleged that there was no trace of plantation in Jagdalpur and Chitrakot.
When Bafna sought information about bamboo plantations, the minister claimed that all the forest ranges had recorded bamboo production. However, when Bafna precisely demanded information about bamboo plantation done the bank of river Indrawati, Usendi said he would provide the details separately. Bafna charged that the minister’s claims were untrue and demand probe into the matter in presence of all the legislators of Bastar region.
Choubey said the allegations of the ruling party’s legislator hinted corruption in plantation drives and suggested that the minister should at least conduct inquiry into the issue in presence of BJP MLAs. “The government is deceiving people on pretext of plantation drives and its Hariyar Chhattisgarh’ campaign too is the part of same league,” said Choubey and pointed that more than 1500 crore was spent in Jatropha plantation but ironically on papers as the entire fund went in the pockets of corrupt officials.
Considering mounting pressure from the Opposition, Usendi announced probe into the bamboo plantation at the bank of river Indrawati in Bafna’s presence.
Incomplete school buildings due to irregularities: Agrawal
Raipur, July 28, 2010
School Education Minister Brijmohan Agrawal has informed that construction of school buildings were incomplete in various places due to irregularities. “It happened because former sarpanchs had withdrawn money released for the school projects. We have lodged FIR against these public representatives for misusing the government fund and had also commenced recovery process,” said Agrawal while replying to a question of Congress MLA Pratima Chandrakar during question hour in the state Assembly’s monsoon session on Wednesday.
Chandrakar had inquired from the minister about the number of school buildings approved for Durg Rural legislative area under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and the time period of their completion.
Agrawal informed that the department had approved construction of 57 school buildings including 27 primary schools and 30 middle schools. Except one school, 56 school buildings have been completed, he said.
Agrawal informed the House that 90 percent of the school buildings in rural areas were being constructed through panchayats while the remaining 10 percent were being built by Shala Vikas Samitis. He admitted that various school buildings being constructed by panchayats were incomplete because the former sarpanchs had taken out money for the purpose but had not used in the projects.
“We will take stern action against such people who are involved in irregularities. Besides, all the pending school projects would be completed within this financial year,” he said.
When Congress MLA Dharmjeet Singh pointed that even the office-bearers of Shala Vikas Samitis were involved in similar practices, Agrawal said majority of irregularities were done by the panchayat representatives as compared to the committees that handle only ten percent of the school projects. He said the government had taken serious note on these revelations and would take effective measures to check reiteration of such practices.
When Congress MLA Agni Chandrakar raised the issue of scarce teaching staff in the schools, Agrawal said the government aimed to fill all the vacant teaching posts and soon 40,000 new teachers would be inducted.
Similarly, the promotions of the teachers would also be done within next three months, he said. Agrawal said the department had done rationalisation of the teachers’ posts and the teachers had been posted subject-wise with no extra or additional posting in any school.
Agrawal also hailed BJP MLA Devji Bhai Patel’s advice to merge all the education-related units functioning under various departments into one department and said the proposal would certainly be considered by the government.
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