Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], December 25 : BJP MP Dr Rabindra Narayan Behera on Thursday slammed the previous Biju Janata Dal government for corruption over the "51 Mahindra Thar Jeeps" Forest Department scam and assured strict action.
Speaking with ANI, the BJP MP said, "This is a small example of the corruption that is going on in the forest department from the last government... We will take action based on the reports from the inquiry."
Behera further underscored Chief Minister Mohan Majhi's progress efforts in the state and reiterated the state government's commitment to eliminating corruption.
The MP also paid his tributes on the birth centenary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Remembering his legacy, Behera informed of several events organised in the region.
On Wednesday, BJD leader Lekha Samantsinghar raised concerns over the Odisha government's purchase of "51 Mahindra Thar Jeeps" at allegedly exorbitant rates, along with costly remodifications, terming it a possible act of corruption and mismanagement.
Speaking to the media, Samantsinghar said, "It is not clear at all who ordered the purchase of the vehicles, who ordered the modification, or for what purpose they are going to be used. This shows that the Odisha BJP government is just finding new and innovative ways to make money, to make their ministers richer, and they are involved in scams in every department."
She demanded that the departmental minister issue a statement clarifying the purpose and approvals behind the purchase, saying, "Everything must be clear to the people of Odisha."
The Odisha government's Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department has requested the Accountant General (Audit-II), Odisha, to conduct a special audit into the process of procurement and customisation of vehicles by the office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Odisha, during the financial year 2024-25.
According to an official letter from the department, an audit team has been requested to be deputed to examine the procurement and customisation processes undertaken by the PCCF (Wildlife), Odisha, at its Bhubaneswar office.
The communication further stated that a copy of the request has been submitted to the Personal Secretary to the Minister of Forest, Environment and Climate Change for information.
Another copy has been forwarded to the PCCF (Wildlife), Odisha, with a request to extend necessary cooperation by providing relevant documents to the audit team of the Accountant General, Odisha, to facilitate completion of the audit process.