Term extended for panel probing tribal scam

The Maharashtra government has extended the term of the Justice M. G. Gaikwad committee, appointed to conduct an inquiry into an alleged '6,000 crore scam in the tribal welfare department, by six months.

It has been alleged that the money was siphoned off during 2004-09 in the purchase of various items for curbing malnutrition, distribution of milch animals to tribals, etc.

Dr Vijaykumar Gavit, now a BJP MLA, held the tribal welfare portfolio in the then Congress-NCP government. Gavit was then with NCP.

A government resolution extending the term of the Justice (retd) Gaikwad committee by six months, starting from July 15, was issued on Monday.

The five-member committee was appointed by the state government upon an order of the Bombay high court on March 27, 2014, during the hearing of a PIL.

The GR made it clear that the committee will not get any further extension as it had received extensions from time to time. The PIL alleged that the tribal welfare department made purchases without calling for tenders, and the amounts shown as disbursed towards tribal welfare were actually siphoned off.