Islampur villagers allege 3.90 lakh fraud in rural project

Residents of Surja-1 Gram Panchayat in the Goalpokhar-2 block of North Dinajpur district have alleged the embezzlement of government funds allocated under the 100-day employment scheme. Villagers have submitted a formal complaint to the block administration demanding a thorough investigation into the matter.

Allegations of fake project work

According to the local villagers, a project for land filling at a temple complex near booth number 157 was approved in 2019 under the 100-day employment scheme. The complaint states that government records show the work was completed and payments were made, although no such work was actually performed on the site. The villagers claim that approximately 3.90 lakh rupees were misappropriated through this alleged fake project.

Accusations against local officials

Local residents have named the Panchayat member Mallika Saha and her husband Sudesh Poddar as being responsible for the financial irregularity. The villagers allege that the duo is directly involved in the embezzlement of the public funds. Previous complaints regarding this issue were reportedly filed in 2023, but residents claim the matter was suppressed at that time without any concrete action being taken against those involved.

Demands for official action

Following the lack of progress on previous complaints, the villagers have now submitted a new memorandum to the Block Development Officer (BDO). They are demanding an impartial investigation into the financial records and strict legal action against all individuals found guilty of the fraud. As of the time of reporting, the block administration has acknowledged receiving the complaint but has not provided a detailed official response regarding the allegations.