Ranchi: Question hour on Wednesday was dominated by accusations of corruption in various govt departments by the members, mostly of the ruling party. The cancelled question of Mar 7 asked by Pradeep Yadav of Congress, relating to action on engineers of the water resources department was once again raised, responding to which minister in-charge for water resources, Yogendra Prasad gave a detailed account of the investigation and action taken thereupon on the cashier. “Not just an FIR has been lodged but a recommendation for further investigation by CID has also been given,” he said.”
Unsatisfied by the answer, Yadav reiterated his question as to why no action was taken against the engineers who were also found accomplice by the finance department. “The cashier in his reply to the showcause has clearly stated names of the engineers to whom he had given cash and jewellery and even then no FIR was lodged against them,” Yadav remarked.
Further, he raised the matter of e-rickshaw purchased in Garhwa under Swachcha Bharat Mission scheme at double the prices and asked govt to table the probe report after Prasad said govt is aware of certain financial irregularities. “In all, 104 E-rickshaws were purchased from Government -e-marketplace (GEM) portal as mandated but after receiving complaints of irregularities a flying squad was constituted in Jan 2025 to inquire,” he said. Prasad, however, admitted he has not seen the report and sought time for informing the members. Demanding investigation by a higher official at least at the rank of chief secretary Yadav said the team in its report has mentioned the rickshaws were purchased from a company not registered in the GEM portal. After heated arguments and on speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto’s direction, the minister agreed to inform the members during the ongoing session about the action taken in the matter.
Joining the Congress MLA’s volley of questions, Amit Kumar of JMM cornered govt accusing the departmental officials of misleading the ministers. He raised the matter of inaction against a contractor who completed a bridge construction in 6 years in 2016 and it collapsed in 2017. “None other than the chief minister ordered an inquiry in 2021 but the report is still pending,” he said. Kumar pointed that initially the contractor was debarred but again he was assigned work to repair the same bridge. During the same period work order is given to him to construct a bridge in Haradih which also collapsed and again a new bridge was allotted in 2019,” he said.
Replying to the query, minister in-charge for rural development Deepika Pandey Singh said govt is not trying to shield any defaulter. “Inquiry is being conducted on order of the CM and we are serious,” she said.