Is it possible that a minister is unaware that his sons are involved in malpractice? A few months ago, Balvant and Kiran, sons of minister of state for panchayat and agriculture, Bachu Khabad, were linked to irregularities in MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) works.
Unsurprisingly, Bachu Khabad was not retained in the new state cabinet that took oath last month. The MGNREGA scam unearthed a few months ago in Dahod was found to be worth Rs 71 crore.
The scheme upholds the vision of Mahatma Gandhi to enhance the livelihood security of rural households across India by providing “at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.”
According to reports, Balwant and Kiran were named as accused in the first offence registered in connection with the MGNREGA scam in different villages in Devgadh Baria and Dhanpur.
They were released on bail by a magisterial court. Kiran was arrested again after another offence was registered against him in Lavariya village. Balwant was subsequently named as an accused in a third offence lodged in Bhanpur village.
Back to the MGNREGA case, all the works in the scheme existed only on paper. Most of the works were shown as being done on land owned by Khabad’s family. The contracts were awarded to companies owned by Khabad’s sons.
Newspaper reports have revealed that the scam was not limited to a couple of talukas of the district, but extended to other areas as well.
Police had told media outlets that the scam involved collusion between private contractors and government employees. They hinted at further arrests even as the investigation continued.
Further, it has been reported that a large number of villages in Dhanpur and Devgadh Baria did not have check dams, roads, or wells.
Ketan Bamaniya, a social worker, has been quoted claiming that Khabad and his associates have committed a scam of more than Rs 2000 crore by setting up sub-agencies in the district for more than a decade. An impartial investigation has also been demanded.
The media tried to get in touch with Khabad, but he did not respond.
After the scam came to light, Khabad began to remain absent from public meetings and even cabinet meetings. Sources said that he was instructed by the party to stay away from public glare.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil had categorically said that this is just a trailer. The Government too accepted in Parliament that there was a scam, and it also mentioned that heads had rolled and an inquiry was being carried out.
Teams from the Congress had also visited the villages and gathered evidence that work was not done on the ground and was only documented on paper.
Sagar Rabari, general secretary of Aam Aadmi Party’s Gujarat unit, told Vibes of India that MGNREGA, Nal Se Jal, and schemes related to setting up toilets are scams in Gujarat. He demanded that an investigation be undertaken in all the talukas of Gujarat.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” observed Parthivraj Kathwadia, Gujarat Congress spokesperson, while talking to Vibes of India. Schemes like MGNREGA and Nal Se Jal have become avenues for corruption, he alleged.
Also Read: “Sack Minister Bachu Khabad”: Shaktisinh Gohil https://www.vibesofindia.com/sack-minister-bachu-khabad-shaktisinh-gohil/
