Bengal: Suvendu Adhikari Accuses Mamata Govt Of Illegally Diverting Central Funds, Writes To FinMin Seeking Action

Suvendu Adhikari said that Mamata Banerjee's government took the money and deposited it in the account for the Chief Minister's State Emergency Relief Fund (SERF). 

Suvendu Adhikari.

Suvendu Adhikari, leader of the opposition and member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleged that the West Bengal government led by Mamata Banerjee of "illegal diversion of funds" on Friday, news agency ANI reported. In a letter addressed to Union Finanace Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Adhikari claimed that the state government participated in "malpractices" in this case. He said that a significant sum of money was taken out of the account into which the Center deposits funds for the state.

Adhikari said that Mamata Banerjee's government took the money and deposited it in the account for the Chief Minister's State Emergency Relief Fund (SERF). 

West Bengal LoP and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman alleging West Bengal govt illegally diverting funds provided by the Central government pic.twitter.com/rR1nyqzPJg

— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2022

The BJP leader requested the Union Minister to launch an investigation into the matter in his letter. Additionally, he stated that the personnel chosen for the investigation should be independent of West Bengal's ruling party.

In the letter, he said: "PFMS (Public Finance Management System) was introduced only a few months earlier. Before PFMS (Public Finance Management System) was in operation, all Central Government funds were remitted to the Wage and Means head of the consolidated fund. The transactions of that particular head have to be thoroughly enquired into. The inquiry must be conducted through officers, who are not likely to be influenced by the State Government officials."

While pointing out the delay of releasing the allocated funds, the letter stated: "When suballocating to the Departments, they are making too much delay, sometimes even 6 months after the amount was originally remitted by the Central Government. As a result, the whole accounting of the Scheme gets jeopardized and subsequently, the Utilisation Certificate cannot be generated on time. Whereas the calculation gets erroneous as because it has been tampered with in the first place, due to the intentionally delayed deposit. So the whole "hue and cry' that the Central Government doesn't pay in time is totally false and a politically motivated narrative, uttered time and again to reap political dividends."

"When they suballocate the amount the complete amount is not deposited. Some of the residual amount is left in the SERF (State Emergency Relief Fund) Account. The Bank plays a role in it and are hand in glove with the State Government. The Bank is giving a cut from their part of accrued interest and the prize money earned from the Head Office for keeping such a huge amount of money in the Savings Account If transactions of these Accounts are thoroughly scrutinized, evidence of illegalities would be found. Remarkably, it seems that no Officer of the Finance Department seems to be aware of this Modus operandi," the letter further reads. 

(With Inputs From ANI)