As many as 10 cases had been filed either by job-seekers or officials this year.
The community and rural development department officials who are monitoring the scheme, however, said the anomalies had been detected because of people’s awareness about the scheme.
“Every time, social audit is being carried out on NREGS by the department and the NGOs to ensure proper implementation of the project,” the secretary of community and rural development department, F. Kharlyngdoh, said.
Kharlyngdoh said through social audit, people themselves were involved in monitoring the scheme.
He said the government was committed to ensure transparent implementation of the project.
The latest case is a complaint filed by one Jobed Ali along with 25 other job card holders of Magurmari village in West Garo Hills on September 3.
They had lodged a complaint at Phulbari police station, alleging that nine persons, including the president of village employment council of Magurmari, Saha Zamal, and its secretary Abdul Mozid along with other functionaries of the council had forged thumb impressions in the muster roll register and misappropriated Rs 33 lakh of 277 job card holders. Police said investigation was on to ferret out the truth.
Cases against the functionaries of village employment councils who are supposed to implement NREGS in a transparent manner, are plenty in police records.
Z.J. Sangma, the block development officer, Tikrikilla community and rural development block in West Garo Hills, had lodged a complaint with Tikrikilla police station on April 21, alleging that Dominic Sangma, the secretary of Bolchuapalgre village employment council, had submitted a muster roll bill of Rs 43,680 by forging signature.
The same month, the chairman of Mynso village, M. Myrshiang, had lodged a complaint with Jowai police station stating that the chairman of the village employment council, Rikon Syntem, and its secretary Justice Ryngkhlem had misappropriated public money worth Rs 1,40,000.
In an impersonation case, one Sahansing Sangma had lodged a complaint at Araimile beat house in Tura, alleging that on June 4, Ibithson K. Sangma posed as the secretary of the village employment council of Sonapaham and submitted a list for coconut plantation under the job scheme by forging signatures of 231 villagers.