CBI begins probe in Orissa rural jobs scheme fraud

May 24th, 2011 - 11:11 pm ICT by IANS  

New Delhi, May 24 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has begun inquiry into the alleged multi-crore bungling in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) in Orissa, a CBI official said Tuesday.

Following the direction of the Supreme Court to submit a preliminary report within six months, agency officials began investigations in six districts of Orissa - Koraput, Kalahandi, Balangir, Nuapada, Nabarangpur and Rayagada - where the scam took place in around 100 villages between 2006 and 2007.

“The (Orissa) state government has assured full cooperation to us. They have appointed special officers in every district to help in the probe and have directed collectors of districts to provide all the documents,” said a CBI official.

The official also said the state government has also promised to provide required number of police officials for assistance during probe.

The apex court directed the central government to order a CBI probe into the job scam last month while disposing of a PIL, filed by NGO Centre for Environment and Food Security.

In its PIL, the NGO alleged that in a survey of 100 villages in the six districts it found that Rs.500 crore of Rs.733 crore released in the state in 2006-07 under the MGNREGS were either embezzled or diverted.

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