Orissa min quits over 700 crore midday meal scam…..Sandeep Mishra
Bhubaneswar: Women and child development minister Pramila Mallick resigned from the Naveen Patnaik cabinet on Saturday,bowing to mounting pressure from different quarters in the wake of an alleged Rs 700-crore scam in the purchase of dal for midday meal scheme and Supplementary Nutrition Programme.
There are ups and downs in politics.There is no reason to be sad, Mallick said after submitting her papers through a special messenger to the CM.Naveen forwarded the resignation to governor M C Bhandare for acceptance,but is yet to allot the portfolio to any minister.
The government also announced action against three IAS officersDeogarh collector Ambika Mishra,former Mayurbhanj collector P K Meherda and Balasore collector Manish Verma in connection with the multi-crore scam.
Mishra,who was posted revenue divisional commissioner (northern range) a few weeks ago,has been stripped of all responsibilities and posted as an officer without duty,sources said.The government decided to transfer Verma but is yet to announce action against Meherda,at present serving as director of National Rural Health Mission as he is away on election duty,sources added.Chief secretary Bijay Patnaik said disciplinary action would be taken against the officers.The CM said action has been taken.Whosoever is found guilty,action will be taken against them, he added.
Sources said Naveen advised Mallick to quit when she met him at his residence in the morning.Mallick,however,said she resigned on her own to avoid embarrassment for the government because of her in the Assembly;the Budget session will start from February 14.I quit owning moral responsibility so that no one could point an accusing finger at the government,my party and my leader, she said.Mallick,a four-time MLA from Binjharpur in Jajpur district,heads BJD womens wing.