BDO suspended for misappropriation of funds

Koraput: A former block development officer of Maoist-hit Narayanpatna in Koraput district has been suspended for alleged embezzlment of Rs 47 lakh meant for development projects.

The action followed recommendation by Koraput administration to the government, official sources today.

The suspended officer is currently posted as BDO of Nandahandi block in Nabarangpur district.

"Last week, we received a letter from Panchayat Raj department regarding suspension of the BDO,"said Koraput district Collector, Yamini Sarangi.

During an inquiry in February, the Koraput district administration found complicity of Sahu and eight other block officials of Narayanpatna in misappropriation, sources said.

An official said the government allocated funds to the block during 2011-12 and 2012-13 for exeuction of various projects like construction of check dams, anganwadi centres, roads and diversion weirs.

"The officials concerned had drawn the funds as advance for execution of the projects, but no work was done.

The other staffers have already been suspended," said a senior district official.

Besides the BDO, the other suspended officials are gram panchayat technical assistant and seven panchayat extension officers.

Narayanpatna, with nine panchayats and a population of 50,000, is a backward block along Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border.