NETRAVALI: Netravali sarpanch Bhunda Varak and members of the Watershed Development Committee constituted by the Village Panchayat resigned following allegations in the misappropriation of funds of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana.
Varak and others resigned during a meeting convened at Vichundrem to discuss to issue of disbursement of money to ineligible beneficiaries, keeping in dark the eligible ones.
Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Desai was also present.
During the meeting, the villagers questioned Varak and others as to why they were kept in dark over the Central government’s flagship scheme i.e. Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana and alleged that the funds were given to those who were not eligible.
The villagers mostly farmers claimed that nobody informed them about the scheme and they were kept in dark, till it was exposed by one of the panchayat members Rakhi Naik e Prabhudesai.
The villagers also alleged that two panchayat members availed the benefits of the scheme. In all, 26 villagers were sanctioned Rs 25,000 each and Rs 5,000 each was given to 20 Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
The Watershed Development Committee was constituted during meeting held at Vichundrem ward, which was selected under the Scheme, on November 27, last year.
Refuting all the allegations, the sarpanch said that he was resigning from the post for free and fair inquiry.
He declared that he will accept charges only if he was found guilty. Following this, all other committee members also resigned.
Phal Desai said that since the entire committee had quit, a new committee will be constituted. He said that he will discuss the matter will the villagers to constitute the new committee. He told the agitated villagers that the scheme will be stopped in the village, if they fail to constitute a new committee.
Under the Pradhan MantriKrishi Sinchayee Yojana, the Centre had allocated Rs 9.70 crore to the State. In all, four wards i.e. Vichundrem from Netravali Panchayat, Colomb in Rivona Panchayat, Portem in Kurdi-Wadem Panchayat and Sulcorna in Cavrem-Pirla Panchayat in Sanguem constituency were selected for implementation of the scheme.
