Infrastructure Office Chief Unreachable, Projects Delayed

Bara. The chief of the Infrastructure Development Office, Kalaiya, Rajendra Saha, has become unreachable without accepting the transfer letter. He was transferred to the Federal Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport 4 months ago.

Although transferred, his becoming unreachable without accepting the 'relieving letter' has left all financial and administrative work of the Infrastructure Development Office in limbo. Saha is an employee under the federal government, while the Infrastructure Development Office is a body under the provincial government.

Information Officer of the Infrastructure Office, Aarti Chaudhary, stated that Saha has become unreachable without informing the concerned office, the line ministry, or the chief of the local administration.

Chaudhary said that no one in the office has any information about where Saha has gone or for what purpose. The office mobile number used by Saha has also been switched off for a long time.

"The entire financial and administrative work has been obstructed because the office chief has become unreachable without accepting the transfer relieving letter," said Engineer Chaudhary. "There is no certainty about when the new office chief will arrive. We are in a state of uncertainty."

Projects worth 1.38 billion in the current fiscal year are stalled

Due to the absence of a chief at the Infrastructure Development Office, 378 projects worth 1.38 billion rupees and 998,000 rupees of the current fiscal year's provincial government have been stalled.

There are 16 projects worth up to 1 million rupees in 16 local municipalities of the district, 244 projects worth 10 to 25 lakh rupees, 86 projects worth 25 to 50 lakh rupees, and 32 projects worth over 50 lakh rupees.

The Infrastructure Development Office implements projects worth up to 25 lakh rupees through consumer committees and projects worth 25 lakh to 50 lakh rupees through contractors after a 30-day public notice (tender).

Engineer Chaudhary said that for the 32 multi-year projects worth over 50 lakh rupees, the work has not stopped, although there are problems with payment.

The Infrastructure Development Office has stated that since no consumer committee has been formed yet and no public notice for tender has been issued, even though the second week of Baisakh has passed, no projects can be implemented this year.

All development construction works in the district have been affected this year due to the weakness and negligence of the Provincial Ministry of Physical Infrastructure.

Controversial figure given charge of office chief

The Provincial Ministry of Physical Infrastructure had given Saha, the chief of the Infrastructure Office, who was previously under investigation, responsibility again based on political influence. Last year, Saha was charged with embezzlement of 14 crore rupees in the name of the Madan Bhandari Housing Construction and Nidhi Niwas program, and a case was filed against him in the special court by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).

After being acquitted by the court, Saha returned to his old office. According to sources from the District Administration Office, Saha returned to his old office again through political influence and financial power.

It was found that even when Saha was suspended by the CIAA, accounts were operated in the joint names of the consumer committee chairman and Saha. It was found that Saha had opened six accounts at the Rastriya Banijya Bank branch in Ganjbhavanipur, Mahagadhi Mai Municipality-10, six accounts at the Birgunj branch, and two accounts in Nijgadh. Financial transactions of more than 14 crore rupees were found from these bank branches alone.

The Chief District Officer of the Bara District Administration Office, Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, said that the minister and secretary of the line ministry should control the irregularities in the Infrastructure Development Office.

He said, "This is a provincial-level office, so the minister and secretary of the provincial ministry should control it." CDO Mishra said, "Since there is no clear legal provision for the Chief District Officer to take action against a provincial-level office chief, there could be a problem if they defy orders tomorrow."

He stated that the local administration has no information about the office chief of the Infrastructure Development Office, Saha, being unreachable for a long time and not attending the office.

New Office Chief to Arrive Tomorrow: Provincial Secretary

The Acting Secretary of the Madhesh Province Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development, Sanjay Saha, said that a new person will be assigned as the chief of the Infrastructure Development Office, Kalaiya.

He said that since Rajendra Saha has become unreachable without prior information and his transfer took place 4 months ago, the ministry is sending a new chief to that office tomorrow. He added, "After the new office chief goes, the old chief will go to the transferred place to get relieved." "There was a problem due to staff in between. Now, after the new chief arrives, everything will be resolved."

Acting Secretary Saha said that the implementation of the province's projects for the current fiscal year will be advanced after the new office chief takes charge.

He said, "The budget came late this year as well because the Provincial Ministry of Finance kept the budget locked until the month of Chaitra. Work has just started." "We still have 2 months. If one wants to work, it can be done."

Secretary Saha said that even if all projects cannot be implemented this year, 20-25 days are sufficient to work on projects worth 20 lakh and 25 lakh rupees.