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Andhra Pradesh Government fails to transfer DBT funds
- It accused Opposition of stalling transfer of benefits to old age people, the disabled and others in the name of violation of model code
- HC permitted transfer of money under various schemes to beneficiaries on May 14, a day after polling
- But no money is transferred by the state govt to beneficiaries’ accounts
Vijayawada: The state government which had raised lot of hue and cry that the opposition was stalling the transfer of pension benefits to the old age people and disabled in the name of violation of model code of conduct failed to do so on Tuesday.
It may be recalled that the government knocked on the doors of the courts insisting that they be permitted to transfer the funds to the beneficiaries’ accounts on May12.
They said that this was ongoing scheme and something that was to be paid in January. But the courts directed the government to transfer the money on May 14, a day after the polling.
But the government did not transfer the money raising a political storm. TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu wrote a letter to Governor S Abdull Nazeer saying that they suspect that the delay was because the government was diverting the funds to clear the bills of select contractors in violation of “first in first out procedure” prescribed under Centralised Fund Management System (CFS).
In a letter addressed to the Governor, Naidu said the government had many commitments relating to sanction of retirement benefits, refund of provident funds and medical reimbursement bills. He said that the state government diverted funds to a tune of Rs 8,000 crore of panchayat raj department.
He alleged that fresh borrowings of Rs 4,000 crore and Rs 7,000 crore raised through bonds by APMDC were being used for illegal payment of bills to crony contractors and political friends.
Chandrababu Naidu appealed to Governor to instruct Chief Secretary to follow the established procedures and take care of committed programmes under DBT and other welfare schemes. He said the Chief Secretary should be instructed to stop release of funds to the select contractors during the model code of conduct period.
A TDP delegation led by party general secretaryVarla Ramaiah also submitted a memorandum to Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena urging him to stop payments to select contractors while keeping in pending many financial commitments.
