NGO contracts: Chhattisgarh minister criticised for irregularities
By IANSWednesday, February 23, 2011
RAIPUR - The opposition Congress in Chhattisgarh Wednesday grilled senior minister Ramvichar Netam during question hour in the state assembly over alleged irregularities in awarding contracts to NGOs for several government-run schemes.
Netam, who holds the panchayat and rural development portfolios, found it difficult to handle the questions posed by opposition members, who demanded the minister explain the “loot of public money by NGOs in government-schemes by flouting established norms”.
Members of the Congress, besides a legislator of the state’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), hit out at the minister for favouring NGOs in integrated watershed management programmes and allotting works worth millions of rupees by flouting rules set for NGOs while awarding contracts.
BJP member Devjibhai Patel and Congress legislators hurled documents in the house and claimed that several NGOs were awarded works in key schemes in the state by the government though they had zero work experience.
Though Netam rejected charges of corruption and compromising of rules by his department while involving NGOs, assembly speaker Dharamlal Kaushik handed over the issue to the Questions and Reference Committee of the house.
