JAJPUR: Jajpur administration on Tuesday placed two panchayat executive officers (PEOs) under suspension for their alleged involvement in the misappropriation of funds under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) scheme.
The accused are Prashant Jena of Majhipada panchayat under Badachana block and Krushna Chandra Mahala of Kaina Ranghunathpur panchayat in Binjharpur. Sources said Jena had in 2021-22 allegedly misappropriated funds allocated for PMAY housing units of Majhipada.
After receiving allegations from the beneficiaries, block officials conducted a probe into the matter and submitted a report to the district administration pointing at Jena’s involvement in the embezzlement.
Similarly, beneficiaries of Kaina Ranghunathpur also met collector Chakravarti Singh Rathore in December last year alleging that PEO Mahala had swindled funds under the PMAY scheme during the financial year 2019-20 and 2020-21.
Rathore then directed the block administration to inquire into the matter following which Mahala too was suspended on the day.