Misuse of CM relief fund in Sulaha comes to light

Ravinder Sood

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Palampur, December 14

Irregularities have come to light in the disbursement of money from the Chief Minister Relief Fund in the Sulaha Assembly constituency of Kangra district. A number of undeserving persons have managed to get assistance from the CM Relief Fund meant only for the poor, the needy and victims of natural calamities.

Information received under the Right to Information Act by a local RTI activist, Paritosh Gupta, reveals that in Sulaha over Rs 1 crore was disbursed from the CM Relief Fund to hundreds of undeserving persons in the past one-and-a-half year in gross violation of rules (a copy of the RTI information is in the possession of The Tribune).

“Most of the beneficiaries are panchayat pradhans, businessmen, retired government employees, ex-servicemen, government contractors, shopkeepers, mediapersons and BJP office-bearers. The name of Palampur district BJP president Hari Dutt Sharma, a contractor, also figures in the list who has received Rs 20,000. Another person, who runs a private school, has got Rs 15,000,” according to information under the RTI Act.

Many businessmen, who are paying income tax, also figures in the list. As per the rules, these payments are to be transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. However, no rules were followed in the disbursement of the money and individual cheques were issued from the offices of the SDM, Palampur, and the SDM, Dheera, to the beneficiaries.

A senior government officer said that people donates money to the CM Relief Fund for further disbursement to the poor, victims of natural calamities and other needy persons. “Persons such as ex-servicemen, retired Central and state government employees, who already have a medical cover from the government, are not eligible for assistance from the CM Relief Fund. Besides, income tax payers also cannot be given money from the CM Relief Fund. This money can only be given to the beneficiaries after they submit requisite documents such as medical bills,” he added.

Gupta has urged the Governor to order a high-level probe into the matter and recover the public money.

Palampur MLA Ashish Butail said that in his constituency, hardly 50 persons had received assistance from the CM Relief Fund in the past two years. He added that Ajit Singh and Uttam Singh, both residents of Palampur and cancer patients, made all efforts to get money from the CM Relief Fund for their medical treatment, but in vain.

Jaisinghpur MLA Ravinder Dhiman said that in the past two years, less than 100 persons had got money from the CM Relief Fund in his constituency, that, too, after filing all documents. Kangra MLA Pawan Kajal said that in his constituency, less than 60 persons had received money in the past two years.

Ex-servicemen among beneficiaries

Most of the beneficiaries are panchayat pradhans, businessmen, retired government employees, ex-servicemen, government contractors, shopkeepers, mediapersons and BJP office-bearers. The name of Palampur district BJP president Hari Dutt Sharma, a contractor, also figures in the list who has received Rs 20,000. Another person, who runs a private school, has got Rs15,000 .