UP: Jairam demands CBI probe into funds misuse

Conscious of the importance of the Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s parliamentary constituency Amethi, Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh has advised Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav to ask for a CBI probe into the misappropriation of funds meant for implementing Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) projects in Sultanpur district in the state. In a letter to state chief secretary Javed Usmani, the Centre has asked the UP government to recommend the CBI probe based on the findings of a Central probe panel, which has brought to light misappropriation of funds even while no construction work had been taken up for three out of the total road projects in the district under the flagship scheme. The ministry of rural development had constituted a probe panel after receiving separate complaints from local Samajwadi Party leader Amrendra Singh Pintu, Congress leader Munna Singh Trisandu and local MLA Gayatri Prasad Prajapati in October 2012. The probe panel consisting of engineers from the Central government and one from the state government found that '2.4 crores was released to a construction firm even while no work was taken up for three of the sanctioned road projects in the Sultanpur district. Mr Ramesh in his letter has demanded that not only a CBI probe be recommended but also that the state should complete the three projects at its cost. However, it’s not for the first time that Mr Ramesh has called upon the state government for CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Centrally-sponsored flagship schemes.