Rs 600 cr-corruption alleged in MUKTA scheme in Odisha

The Mukhyamantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan (MUKTA) was launched by the Odisha Government for the purpose of providing employment opportunities to the urban poor in the State.

But some recent reports have painted a contrasting picture of the scheme that has been touted as a success by the Biju Janata Dal (BJD)-led State government.

In Khordha, many allegations of corruption have come to the fore under the MUKTA scheme.

Just 100 meters away from the district collector's office, on the premises of the District Information and Public Relations Office, there lies a sign board carrying information about a rainwater harvesting project.

As per reports, the Khordha Municipality had provided a work order to Jai Jagannath ALF SHG for harvesting of rainwater at a cost of Rs 1,83,000 in the financial year 2021-22. The project which is stated to have been completed is nowhere to be seen in the vicinity.

Similarly, as per another sign board in Khordha town, Rs 2.35 lakh has been spent to construct a urinal through an SHG registered as Rashmi. However, there are no signs of any urinal in the vicinity.

Sk Habib, a Khordha local said, “I do not see any work done except for the sign boards. It seems the officials have only installed sign boards and pocketed all the money without spending anything on the given work.”

Another local, Ritesh Sahu said, “There are other urinals in Khordha too. But they are in a dilapidated condition as the government never maintains them, rendering them useless after a few months. The government should identify the culprits behind this and take strict action against them.”

Asked about the allegations, Executive Officer of Khordha Municipality, Rizwana Jacob said, “We have done renovations on public toilets but the fittings have been stolen each time.”

“Sign boards can be installed even before the work has begun. But if there is any corruption, I will conduct an enquiry into it,” she added.

Jacob further informed that the Chief Minister has sanctioned 90 projects worth Rs 8.5 crore for 2023-24 for the Municipality.

Moving on to the South of the State, similar allegations have surfaced in Koraput’s Jeypore where the government had launched a Water Conservation project in Penangi forest in 2021-22. But the locals alleged that the money has been swindled by the authorities by preparing false bills for the project.

Not only this, the plaque installed on the Batamangala temple premises mentions about a mini-park. Rs 13 lakh has also been spent on the park. However, with no park found in the area, the plaque of the project was damaged recently.

Similarly, in Jeypore’s Vikram Deb University, crores of rupees have allegedly been embezzled by the authorities in the name of rainwater harvesting and parks.

“The Municipality has found MUKTA scheme as a convenient way to swindle money. Every public work is done here under the same scheme. But with so much corruption, I am surprised the government is still running the scheme,” said a local of Jeypore, Rajendra Gouda.

It is alleged that more than Rs 600 crores have been swindled by the nexus of corrupt public representatives and unscrupulous contractors while implementing several projects under the Mukta scheme.

However, the Municipality Chairperson has a different story to tell. Asked about the allegations, Narendra Mohanty, Chairperson of Jeypore Municipality claimed, “I do not know about any other Municipality, but there is no corruption in Jeypore Municipality.”

The government of Odisha launched an urban public works initiative named "Urban Wage Employment Initiative (UWEI)" on April 18, 2020, across the 114 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) of Odisha. UWEI aimed to create rapid, immediate, and mass employment opportunities for urban poor, informal, and migrant labourers, rendered unemployed and vulnerable in the face of the Covid-19-induced crisis while addressing the need of creation of durable community assets.

Twelve months on, with the govt claiming more than 7500 projects worth Rs. 122 crores being implemented across 114 ULBs and more than 15 lakh man-days generated, the State Government decided to convert the UWEI into a full-fledged state-sponsored scheme called "Mukhya Mantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan (MUKTA)".