Nellore: TDP demands probe into housing layouts development

Nellore: TDP general secretary Ch Venkateswara Reddy demanded probe into the housing layout works taken up under the employment guarantee scheme in the district.

Addressing media in Kovur on Sunday, he said the YSR Congress leaders are resorting to irregularities in the works deploying machinery. He said the Centre had released funds to the state under MGNREGS for the livelihood of the labourers.

2,091 layouts with an area of 3,574 acres have been proposed and the Centre sanctioned Rs 269 crore for land levelling and layout development meant for the distribution of house sites to the poor.

"The ruling party leaders are duping the government finalising a price from the farmers and putting the lands on sale to the government at a higher amount. Further, they are engaging machinery for levelling and developing the layouts incurring low amount and are claiming excess amount," said Venkateswara Reddy.

He said they are utilising gravel or earthen material from the same place and have been recording in the M-Book spending amount for shifting the material from other places.

The TDP leader said the officials estimated that around 4,000 cubic meters of gravel was necessary for levelling the land. He added contractors were using below 1,000 cubic meters even in the plain lands and claiming the total amount throwing dust in the eyes of the government.

Stating they are using JCBs, tractors and others for levelling the lands, he said they are failing to deploy local workers registered under MGNREGS. He charged that they were collecting Rs 1,20,000 per acre as rolling charges even though are not doing the activity practically.

He demanded a probe by the Centre on the issue for misutilisation of funds and for violating the guidelines.