Sundargarh DMF fund finds solution to non-priority sectors

Express News Service
ROURKELA:  When it involves utilizing the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) fund, Sundargarh district seems to have a comfortable nook for Rourkela. The DMF tips are clear about precedence and non-priority areas however DMF funds discover their solution to the Steel City which is neither straight nor not directly affected by mining, a standards for spending the funds.

Last yr, when Rourkela Police unveiled a fleet of 25 model new Innova Crystas to patrol the roads of Rourkela, eyebrows had been raised as a result of the multi utility autos had been procured utilizing `4.65 crore from the DMF. Of the 25 MUVs, 20 are meant for Rourkela whereas 5 are deployed in Bonai sub-division. Interestingly, earlier than that the district administration is learnt to have spent ` 25.52 lakh from DMF pool for what it known as ‘engagement of police patrolling and traffic management’ for Rourkela metropolis, reveals info secured by way of RTI. How the brand new autos helped police intensify patrol is one other story, given the spate of crimes that rocked the Steel City final yr.

RTI activist Rashmi Ranjan Padhi citing the RTI reply stated the administration spent ` 25.52 lakh in direction of ‘engagement of police patrolling and traffic management’ in Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) limits however particulars weren’t supplied, not even yr of expenditure. However, dependable sources knowledgeable that the expenditure was incurred throughout 2017-18 in direction of hiring of police patrol automobile for Rourkela. 

“Rourkela city is not directly or indirectly affected by mining operation. Besides, using DMF on swanky MUVs and police patrolling makes very little sense,” stated Padhi, who is also former Secretary of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC).As per out there info, the full assortment of Sundargarh DMF stood at ` 2,133.27 crore until June 30, 2020. Till then, at the very least ` 2,094.12 crore was spent or work orders awarded in opposition to 3,672 initiatives. Padhi claims that lots of the spendings don’t comply to DMF norms.

The mineral basis launched ` 78.56 lakh in direction of building of major gate, boundary wall and 30 retailers at Madri Kalo Bhawan of Sundargarh city. Similarly, approval was given for ` 64.99 lakh in direction of building of boundary wall of a truck terminal at Amlipali in Sundargarh city in February 2019. In July 2020, ` 49.12 lakh was sanctioned in direction of elevating of boundary wall and barbed fencing of Circuit House of Sundargarh city.   Sundargarh Collector and DMF Chairman-Cum-Managing-Trustee Nikhil Pawan Kalyan didn’t reply to written request for remark.