Rajbiraj, February 7

Service seekers have complained that staffers at the District Development Committee don’t serve them without bribe.

In a recent incident, a lawmaker representing Saptari district had to pay bribe for the release of fund from the DDC. Service seekers said staffers at the DDC stalled their work if they were not bribed.

Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Democratic Vice-chairman and lawmaker Jitendra Narayan Dev said he had raised the issue of bribery at the DDC in the Parliament repeatedly. “Employees at the DDC do not even listen to lawmakers, let alone public,” Dev shared.

He stated that they had to pay bribe at the DDC even to settle the bills of Consumers’ Committee. “Even a lawmaker cannot get funds released from the DDC without paying bribe,” Dev added.

He shared that he had to pay bribe to staffers of the DDC to get Rs 30 million of Parliament Special Infrastructure Project and Rs 5 million of Parliament Fund released.

Dev said he had raised the issue at a joint meeting with lawmakers at the DDC, but failed to get a satisfactory response.

According to Federal Socialist Forum leader Arun Kumar Yadav, DDC staffers demand 10 per cent commission for the release of developmental budget and work performance evaluation. “How can the work be qualitative when you have pay commission to each and every staffer?” Yadav questioned.

Organising a press release two years ago, local leaders had accused the DDC staffers of financial irregularities in the selection of projects.

“We cannot get any kind of budget released without paying bribe to the DDC staffers. But, they evaluate even unfinished projects if they are paid bribe,” said a VDC secretary.

Saptari LDO Sudev Kumar Pokhrel admitted he was not happy with the DDC staffers either. He pledged to improve the DDC’s working style.