The recovery of around ₹13.37 crore has begun following financial irregularities detected in the use of government funds allocated for development works in 136 gram panchayats of Uttar Pradesh’s Ambedkar Nagar district.
Audits and subsequent verification reportedly found instances where government funds were withdrawn without the corresponding work being carried out, while in some cases payments were made despite projects remaining incomplete. Based on the findings, the authorities have initiated recovery proceedings against the concerned village secretaries and gram panchayats’ former heads.
According to the department, audits were conducted of development works carried out using the budgets allocated to gram panchayats during different financial years. In several cases, the concerned records were not produced during the audit. In other cases, discrepancies were found during physical verification of the projects and the expenditure claimed against them. Following the verification process, recovery of ₹13 crore 37 lakh 53 thousand 854 has been determined from the 136 gram panchayats.
After the recovery certificates were approved at the district magistrate level, the Panchayati Raj Department moved ahead with action against those held responsible under the departmental process. Orders have been issued to deduct the prescribed amounts from the salaries of village secretaries who are currently in service. For village heads and retired secretaries, the department is initiating the process of issuing online recovery certificates to recover the amounts.
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The matter dates back several years. According to the available records, the irregularities were identified during audits covering financial years from 2011-12 to 2018-19. Since the cases are old and the departmental process took considerable time, some of the village secretaries and village heads concerned are no longer in service. Several secretaries have retired, while some of the persons against whom recovery was proposed have also died. The department has stated that recovery proceedings cannot be carried out against those who have died.
Among the cases identified during the audit is one involving Subarpur gram panchayat in the Akbarpur area. During the 2012-13 audit, three cases involving financial irregularities totalling ₹18 lakh 81 thousand 760 were detected. Recovery of ₹9 lakh 40 thousand 880 each has been determined from the then village head and secretary.
Similarly, an irregularity amounting to ₹11 lakh 63 thousand 529 was detected in Akbarpur Naili gram panchayat during the 2012-13 audit. In this case, recovery of approximately ₹5 lakh 81 thousand 764 each has been determined from the then village head and secretary. In Roshan Garh gram panchayat, two cases involving irregularities totalling ₹16 lakh 48 thousand 294 were detected during 2013-14. The amount has likewise been divided equally between the concerned former village head and secretary for recovery.
According to departmental officials, recovery proceedings covering the total amount identified across the 136 gram panchayats are being carried out at different levels. For secretaries who remain in service, the prescribed amount will be recovered through salary deductions. In cases involving retired secretaries and village heads, the department is proceeding through the revenue recovery mechanism.
The Panchayati Raj Department has said the action is based on audit objections, available records and findings from physical verification of the development works. Recovery will be carried out according to the prescribed procedure in each case. The ongoing exercise is aimed at recovering government funds linked to financial irregularities that remained pending for several years.
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