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Bolangir: Corruption in Sattu distribution in Bolangir district, carried on by Women and Child Development Department through women Self Help Groups (SHGs), was exposed through Right To Information (RTI). While purchase bills of various ingredients for Sattu preparation mentions name of a shop situated at Bolangir main road, such a shop is not to be found in the whole district.
Maa Sabitri SHG was the lone customer of Ganesh Kirana Store, that is only present on pen and paper, from 2011-15. The information was received through RTI by an activist Anang Kumar Thakur.
Talking to OTV, RTI activist Anang Kumar Thakur said, "Even the Sales Tax Department is unaware about the Ganesh Kirana Store in Bolangir. The store took birth in 2011 only to provide the material to Sabitri SHG."
On the other hand, President of Maa Sabitri SHG, situated at Sialbahali village, claims the shop was there but has been closed now. She also agreed of numbering the bills herself. The bills serially numbered from 1 to 32 do not have TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number) and CST (Central Sales Tax) number. Few bills only contain numbers while the name of the SHG is missing on few others.
President of Maa Sabitri SHG Surusuta Bag said, "There are three shops in the daily market which have been closed and the Ganesh Kirana Store was the middle one. The serial numbers had been left out by the Kirana store owner so I filled it up as per our purchase sequence."
The SHG has received Rs 1,43,91,750 through these fake bills, that did not catch the eyes of the concerned government officials before passing the bills.
Replying on the allegations, Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) Manjulata Mishra said, "It has not come to our notice, if there is any irregularity it will surely be probed by higher rank officials and appropriate action will be taken."
Additional District Collector of Bolangir Laxmikant Pyarelal Pradhan said, "If it was done in an illegal way appropriate action will be taken against the persons responsible. A detailed enquiry will be made into the allegations."
