BJD MLA accused of swindling funds from govt scheme; he alleges conspiracy

In a grievance filed earlier than the Odisha Lokayukta, a BJD MLA, Sudhanshu Sekhar Parida, has been accused of swindling crores of rupees meant to subsidise farm gear buy by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes beneficiaries. The legislator, from Remuna constituency, has termed the allegations “baseless”.
In the grievance, filed by social activist and Balasore resident Tanmaya Mohanty, it has been alleged that Rs 9 crore in subsidy funds had been siphoned off between 2017 and 2020 by Nigamananda Associates, a agency owned by Parida which sells agricultural gear.
Naran Majhi, a local of Mayurbhanj, who had purchased a harvester from the agency, mentioned,” After I initiated the acquisition of the gear, I acquired Rs 6 lakh as subsidy quantity in my account however inside a day, Rs 5.4 lakh was debited from my account. When I went to the unit to make the ultimate buy, they additional demanded Rs 40,000 from me.” Majhi’s case is amongst these forwarded to the Lokayukta.
Opposition events have demanded the MLA’s resignation. Former Remuna MLA Govind Chandra Das mentioned, “Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has always portrayed his government as a zero-tolerance government towards corruption. If that is the case, he should take prompt action and order an inquiry against his party MLA here.”
Parida referred to as the allegations a conspiracy. “Let the law take its own course. The allegations are baseless,” he added. The BJP has additionally alleged the complicity of the agriculture division and the vigilance division.