PIL in Calcutta HC over irregularities in utilisation of central funds

Kolkata, Jan 23 A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Calcutta High Court on Monday alleging massive irregularities in utilisation of funds under centrally-sponsored schemes by certain state government departments.

The PIL has been filed by BJP state General Secretary Jagannath Chattopadhyay, who is also a former journalist. Chattopadhyay told that he has filed the PIL as a journalist.

In the PIL filed before the division bench of Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj, he has alleged that there had been massive irregularities in the utilisation of central funds mainly by three state government departments namely state Panchayat Affairs and Rural Development Department, state Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Department, and the state Education Department.

Chattopadhyay claimed that the total quantum of funds misutilisation is to the tune of Rs 2.29 lakh crore, as there is no proper utilisation certificate of such a huge expenditure. The matter might come up for hearing on Tuesday.

The development comes at a time when the Union government has decided to central field inspection teams to West Bengal to review the process and progress and implementations of two centrally-sponsored schemes in the state, namely the Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY) and mid-day meal scheme. While the state Panchayat Affairs and Rural Development Department is the implementing authority for the PMAY scheme, the mid-day meal is implemented by the state Education Department.

The ruling Trinamool Congress has already described this decision to send central field inspection teams as a political ploy of BJP to isolate West Bengal in the matter.