Proceedings against 2 IAS officers in rural job scam

This was informed to the Supreme Court today when the state government filed an affidavit informing the apex court about the steps taken in the MGNREGA scam, Panchayati Raj minister Kalpataru Das told reporters here.

"The two IAS officers are Mrinalini Darswal and J B Mishra, two former collectors of Nuapada district," the minister said, adding the CBI had pointed out diversion of MGNREGA funds in the tribal dominated Nuapada district.

The IAS officers were not immediately available for comment.

Rs 2.53 lakh was diverted from the MGNREGA fund for landscaping at the collector's official residence in Nuapada when Darswal was the collector, Das said.

"The CAG had also pointed out this particular irregularity in its finding," the minister said.

The CBI was later asked by the Supreme Court to probe into the corruption in the MGNREGA in the matter of 100 villages spread over six districts of Odisha.

Mishra was accused of diluting the matter though he was not directly involved in the diversion of MGNREGA funds, Das said, adding that the state government was taking all steps to stop any kind of irregularities in the scheme.