Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 28 (PTI) In the wake of widespread misuse of Kerala CM’s Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF) being detected by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said in the state Assembly that strong measures will be taken to ensure the financial assistance is only provided to the deserving.
Chief Minister Vijayan, during discussion in the House on demand for funding by the Public Administration Department, said that action will be taken without exemption or mercy against those who tried or conspired to fraudulently divert the financial assistance from the CMDRF to non-eligible persons.
Regarding how the fraud was detected, the CM said that the government-level scrutiny of some applications for aid had raised suspicions and therefore, the VACB was directed to carry out an investigation.
Pursuant to that VACB conducted surprise inspections on February 22 in district collectorates across the state as part of its ‘Operation CMDRF’, he said.
He also said that further action has been ordered on the issues detected by the vigilance bureau in connection with disbursement of financial assistance and the VACB has been tasked with ensuring no wrong practices take place by carrying out thorough checks.
Vijayan said that the CMDRF was functioning transparently and was also subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan said aspersions were cast on him and allegations were made that he indulged in corrupt practices in connection with the CMDRF.
Denying the same, he said that he receives several applications for assistance from his constituency and if they are accompanied by an income verification certificate by a village officer and a medical certificate by a doctor, he forwards the same to the Chief Minister for further action.
The CMO then sends it back to the village officer for verification and then the application goes to the taluk office, then the collectorate, then the revenue department and finally back to the CM for approval, he said.
While talking about the CMDRF issue, the CM also gave details of the system in place for providing assistance from the fund and the amounts provided till date as well as the applications for aid received so far.
“An online system has been put in place to allow quick assistance from the CMDRF. The entire process, from submission of application till disbursement of financial assistance, is done online and the assistance is transferred directly to the beneficiary’s bank account,” he said in the Assembly.
From June 2016 to May 2021, Rs 918.95 crore was sanctioned from the fund in connection with 6,82,569 applications for financial assistance, he said.
He further said that a total of Rs 4,970.29 crore was received as contribution for flood relief activities and of that Rs 4,627.64 crore has already been spent.
Besides that, Rs 108.59 crore was received as donation in connection with the Okchi cyclone disaster, but Rs 119.34 crore was spent on relief activities, the CM claimed.
He also claimed that out of Rs 1,029.01 crore received as donation till date in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, Rs 1,028.06 crore has been spent in relief and welfare activities.
Since coming to power this government has sanctioned Rs.462.62 crore till January 31 this year, he added.
The VACB had recently confirmed that it has detected widespread misappropriation of the Kerala CMDRF allegedly by an organised network of government officials, doctors and agents after submitting forged medical certificates and other documents. PTI HMP SS SS
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