Incomplete construction of Badi Mata temple in Niwari sparks anger:MLA shows community hall, bus stop complete; Bhaskar investigation reveals nothing on site

Pits were dug on the platform to build a hall at the Badi Mata temple​​​. Only these pits were dug and then the work stopped. Where did the money go.. the politicians ate it up, what else! These are the words of locals and women visiting the temple, who expressed anger and disappointment at politicians, pointing to the incomplete work of the Badi Mata temple in Taricharkala Municipal Council of Niwari district, whose construction stopped immediately afterward. An amount of ₹4 lakh had been released from then-MLA Anil Jain’s fund on August 9, 2023, for the construction of the hall. However, months later, the site remains unchanged except for the dug pits, even though government records show the work as completed. Social activists and locals claim this is not an isolated incident. Between 2019 and 2023, nearly 300 works were approved from MLA funds in the Niwari assembly constituency, many of which remain unfinished or do not exist at all. Investigations by Dainik Bhaskar revealed multiple instances where funds were withdrawn in the name of projects but not a single brick was laid. Read the full report in today’s Sunday Big Story.. Anil Jain’s MLA funds over 12 years Anil Jain first became MLA from Niwari in 2013. At that time, an MLA received ₹1 crore as MLA fund and ₹50 lakh as discretionary grant. After 2022, the MLA fund increased to ₹2.5 crore and discretionary grants to ₹75 lakh. From 2013 to 2025, Jain has received ₹16.5 crore as MLA fund and ₹6.5 crore as discretionary grants over 12 years. Social activist Pramod Kewat, under RTI, sought information on development works executed from these funds between 2013 and 2025. The RTI response stated that works worth over ₹11 crore were executed, including passenger waiting rooms, platforms at temples, and community buildings across various locations. Municipal Council President says, ‘Money ‘safe’ with MLA’ When Bhaskar visited the Badi Mata temple, no hall was found at the site despite government records showing completion. Women worshippers confirmed that nothing had been built. Municipal Council President Rohit Sutrakar stated that although ₹4 lakh had been approved, the work was incomplete, and additional funds were announced for future completion. When asked about the ₹4 lakh already released, he said, ‘That amount is safe with the MLA.’ This statement raises questions, as the funds were reportedly unused, yet the work was marked complete in official records. Passenger waiting room remains a garbage dump In Teharka village, a passenger waiting room was reportedly sanctioned in 2019 for ₹3.06 lakh from MLA funds. Residents expected relief from sun and rain while waiting for buses and hoped the intersection would be cleaned. Instead, the site remains a garbage dump with no construction done. Elderly shopkeeper Bhanwar Prasad said, The government files show the waiting room was built, but where the money went is a big question. Boundary wall project only on paper In 2018, ₹2 lakh was sanctioned for a boundary wall of a community building near Gond Baba temple in Ramgarh Surara, Niwari. On inspection, there was no community building or boundary wall. A local woman noted that a nearby wall belonging to a private house may have been shown as the boundary wall in records. This represents another example of misused government funds, where money was withdrawn for non-existent projects. Irregularities in discretionary funds Discretionary funds, meant to assist the poor, sick, and needy, were reportedly misused in Niwari. 70% of projects unfinished, complaint filed Pramod Kewat, who filed the RTI, stated that complaints about MLA fund misuse have been ongoing for years. Investigation revealed that out of 300 works over the past decade, about 70% were incomplete, totaling roughly ₹3.8 crore. From 2013 to 2025, discretionary grants of ₹6.5 crore were released, with ₹8.32 lakh disbursed without proper records. District Panchayat Vice President Gayadin Ahirwar confirmed that around 90% of MLA funds were spent on temple-related projects, which violates Planning and Statistics Department guidelines, and heavy commission-taking occurred. MLA’s response When approached, Niwari MLA Anil Jain stated that all work is visible on the ground and any confusion may be due to location discrepancies. On discretionary grants, he said funds are distributed after verifying the need of applicants and not given to government employees. He denied the allegations of distributing ₹8.32 lakh without verification but remained silent on repeated payments to his driver and family.