03-05-2025
Dalit Sene moves Lokayukta against ten PDOs alleging misappropriation of funds
Members of Dalit Sene have lodged a complaint with Karnataka Lokayukta against Panchayat Development Officers (PDOs) of ten gram panchayats alleging large-scale embezzlement of funds was detected in Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department in Kalaburagi district.
Sene State president Hanumant Yelasanghi, addressing press persons here on Saturday, accused that financial irregularities to the tune of ₹ 10.35 crore have been detected in the purchase of equipment at gram panchayats without inviting tenders or obtaining competitive quotations from different vendors or firms.
On April 25, a complaint was lodged with Lokayukta against Prakash Babu Gonsagi, PDO of Kellur gram panchayat in Jewargi taluk; Bheemaraya-PDO of Malli gram panchayat in yadrami taluk; Ningappa Kembhavi- PDO of Tonasanahalli gram panchayat at Shahabad taluk; Ravi-PDO of Malkhed gram panchayat in Sedam taluk; Prema-PDO of Gotur gram panchayat in Kalgi taluk; Shravankumar-PDO of Kadabur gram panchayat in Chittapur taluk; Megha-PDO of Mannur gram panchayat in Afzalpur taluk; Shantappa-PDO of Karchakhed gram panchayat in Chincholi taluk and Ramesh-PDO of Hodaloor gram panchayat in Aland taluk of Kalaburagi district.
Each PDO has swindled funds ranging from ₹82 lakh to ₹1.45 crore, Mr. Yelasanghi alleged, and accused the Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer of having turned a blind eye to such huge corruption and failing to take any action against these officials.
Holding Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge accountable for large-scale irregularities and corruption in the department, Mr. Yelasanghi alleged that the misutilisation of funds had taken place under Mr. Kharge's nose in his own department, adding that the RDPR department is neck-deep in corruption in Kalaburagi district.
SSLC results
Expressing his displeasure over the SSLC results of Kalaburagi district this year, Mr. Yelasanghi said that the district has stood in the last position in the State despite spending a sum of ₹652 crore for improving the SSLC performance under the 'Akshara Avishkara' programme by Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB).
Though the board was spending around ₹100 crore for each district of Kalyana Karnataka region exclusively for the Education sector, the SSLC performance in the region failed to meet expectations, and the infrastructure facilities of schools continue to be pathetic, he alleged.
