BARIPADA: Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs and Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu has alleged that the Mayurbhanj district administration and State Government have deliberately held up the Local Area Development (LAD) funds to defame him. Speaking to TNIE on Friday, Tudu said he received grievances from many people in the district. “But the government does not want to address people’s problems as the administrative mechanism is completely controlled by the State Government,” he further stated.
“I am not aware if the proposals submitted by me for using the LAD funds were approved at all by the district administration,” said Tudu.However, the LAD funds utilisation proposals of BJD MLAs are immediately approved by the district planning office and administration, he alleged, adding, their own MLAs give the work to contractors in lieu of good PC.
Due to poor interference of the district administration, the works taken up are of substandard quality. “The officers fear meeting me during review meetings on development works in Mayurbhanj,” Tudu added. Mayurbhanj Collector Vineet Bhardwaj said the LAD funds of both MPs and MLAs were utilised as per the proposals and timely review meetings were carried out on different development works.