HYDERABAD: More than 120 officials were let off by the Andhra Pradesh government despite corruption charges framed against them by the vigilance and enforcement department.Yielding to political pressures, the AP government has dropped action against the officials charged with corruption, irregularities, diversion of funds and violation of rules. In the last18 months, the TDP government has either overruled or dropped several vigilance reports and recommendations against the tainted officials.

The vigilance and enforcement department has recommended disciplinary action against the private secretary to the AP housing minister for alleged mismanagement of Rs 75 lakh belonging to the panchayat raj department. But the state government decided to drop the case against him. Disciplinary proceedings were initiated duly framing `article of charges' against the official in respect of the allegations of tampering of `measuring book' and misappropriation of funds under the food for work programme in Balijapeta mandal of Vizianagaram district. He was directed to submit a written statement. Following his response, the government issued a GO (Rt No.1064 dated November 11, 2015) dropping further action against the official.

A mandal development officer in Guntur district was charged with diversion of funds meant for individual loans under Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) programme. The vigilance department recommended action but the government issued a GO dropping charges against him, allegedly yielding to the pressure from MLAs from the district. A senior official in Anantapur, who was na med in diversion of funds meant for the purchase of teaching and learning material for teachers under Sarva Siksha Abhayan, was let off after a minister came to his rescue.Despite an adverse recommendation from the vigilance department, the official was given a clean chit and the government dropped proceedings against him.

Even after a vigilance report and recommendation from the commissioner of inquiries, two officials in irrigation one executive engineer and a deputy executive engineer were let off without any action. Two officers were named in corruption of Rs 25 crore in Pulivendula branch canal work. The government issued a GO on November 19 dropping further action against the engineers.

Similarly , two divisional engineers in Kurnool district were named in siphoning of Rs 2 crore in food for work scheme and the vigilance and enforcement recommended departmental inquiry . But, yielding to pressure from a minister, further action was dropped and a clean chit was given to the engineers.

“Revenue, panchayat raj, irrigation, municipal administration, social welfare and education departments report a high number of corruption cases. Despite framing of charges, there is hardly any action against the corrupt officials,“ said a senior official in the government.

The revenue department witnessed a surge in corruption cases after the government launched digitalization of land records. Unscrupulous officials tried to exploit poor farmers, who come to their offices to get a copy of the land pattadar passbook, by indulging in all sorts of irregularities. But there was hardly any action against the offenders.

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