Surprise visit to Dogachhi GP :- A bitter experience

District Magistrate Nadia, along with two senior officers DPRDO and District Nodal Officer NREGA planned to visit one GP this morning to study the flow of information/ circulars from district head quarters and also to study the reasons for slow progress of different poverty alleviation programmes. We started at 11.00 hrs from the Collectorate and reached GP office at about 11.30 hrs. GP office is located in a double storied building. Office of the GP Prodhan, Upa Prodhan and EA is located at ground floor and that of other staff including computer personnel at upper floor.

At the time of our visit GP office was found locked, Executive Assistant was waiting outside for the GP secretary or Prodhan to come and open the office as they are the persons having keys of the main entrance as well as rooms. No other staff has any key as a result GP office can not be opened in case GP Secretary is absent/ late and GP Prodhan is also absent. Poor EA has no keys with him.

We had to wait at tea shop sitting on benches. We utilised the time holding meeting with GP staff sitting on tea stall.

GP office was opened at 12.15 pm when GP secretary arrived. We discussed with sub post office post master located in the GP office and requested him to encourage opening of post office accounts for old age pension beneficiaries as has been done in case of NREGA job card holders. He agreed to the proposal but expressed the problems of fund transfer mechanism. At present cash amount can be accepted by post office to be deposited in multiple accounts as per muster roll supplied. District Nodal Officer NREGA Nadia and DPRDO Nadia shall take up the matter with Superintendent of post offices to explore the possibility of fund flow through post office head quarters, instead depositing from GP end.

Salient observations on GP functioning as noted by DPRDO, DNO and DM Nadia are as follows :-

• No list of IAY, IGNOAPS beneficiaries is displayed at notice board OR pasted on the wall.
• Some slogans related to JSY and other health benefits are written on the walls of GP, which are no more relevant. These should be rewritten with updates/ new norms.
• NREGA slogans have been written on the GP wall very prominently and proactive disclosure board is also under progress.

• Some people were waiting outside GP to get their forms signed by GP Prodhan so as to get JSY claims, resident certificate, ration card, old age pension claims and job card applications but in absence of Prodhan and also ineffective office without Prodhan they were bit annoyed and frustrated. Upa Prodhan is present but has not been given any responsibility by Prodhan allegedly due to the fact that he belongs to coalition partner whose support is not required to prove majority. Ruling party has clear majority in 21 member house. Young active Upa Prodhan bent his grievances to us.
• At present the GP has no work under any programmes though funds are available under SFC, TwFC, NREGA. Nirman Sahayak and others has no work to do at present in absence of any initiative of GP and decisions on funds available.
• A large number of NREGA applications in form 1 are lying unattended in the GP office as blank job cards has not been supplied from the block. GP is not only violating the provisions of NREGA act but also incurring wasteful expenditure by keeping the manpower like Nirman Sahayak, Sahayak of NREGA idle. There is scope of work in this GP as claims by local villagers. There is lack of initiative by GP to provide jobs to job card holders.
• IGNOAPS funds have been disbursed but shortage of funds reported as the GP is paying to more number of beneficiaries than the sanctioned quota. DPRDO shall rectify the allotment orders from next months.
• IAY funds for 28 beneficiaries has not yet been disbursed. Some problems related to land records/ title have been reported, that should be sorted by Executive Assistant. Once the list is sanctioned by district authorities, GP should not withhold the fund in the name of land availability.
• Fax machine is functioning under the able guidance of Sahayak.
• Accounts/ records of GP could not be verified as GP Secretary left the keys at home and we also allowed him to leave immediately to attend his ailing uncle whom he left at clinic.

This may be the scenario in other GPs. SDOs/ BDOs and other reading this blog may please check and do needful to improve the functioning of GPs.