By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:The recently released CAG report has brought to light the real picture of the mining administration of the former BJD government led by Naveen Patnaik and how money was looted in the mining-affected areas. Today, the BJD is making political protests over mining revenue, but the CAG has identified serious irregularities in the use of DMF funds meant for mining-affected people during his long rule. Today, the BJD, which is trying to portray itself as the protector of mining rights, has proven the real reality of his rule to the people, said state spokesperson Shi Anil Biswal at a press conference held at the state office.
Mr. Biswal said that the CAG has shown that during the BJD government, Rs. 983 crore was misappropriated in Keonjhar and Sundargarh by flouting the DMF rules. The money was not spent on the people who were affected by the mining and was spent elsewhere. Similarly, the interest of Rs. 119 crore that was supposed to come to the DMF fund was misappropriated during the BJD government. In Jajpur district, Rs. 507 crore was spent from the DMF fund on various unnecessary expenses. Similarly, in Sundargarh district, Rs. 25 crore was spent on the study room in the collector’s house, unnecessary expansion of the municipality office, etc. Parks worth Rs. 51 crore were built in Jajpur and Keonjhar, but there is no trace of it.
The CAG has mentioned in its report that corruption took place during the BJD period, such as paying Rs 10 crore more than the bill amount to a hospital in Sundargarh during the Covid period, and giving a contract for providing healthcare services to a company with no experience for more than Rs 7 crore. Similarly, a bee farm in Sundargarh was built at a cost of Rs 12 crore, where there are no bees, no beekeepers, no beehives. Not only this, the CAG has also found money laundering in the purchase of equipment for the hospital and the number of coaching centers. Overall, the CAG has brought to light the case of DMF money laundering worth around Rs 2880 crore, said Shri Biswal.
Biju Janata Dal is now creating illusion among the public that the MMD Act will be detrimental to the interests of the mining affected areas. But the CAG report proves that when they were in government, they were pocketing the money meant for the development of the mining affected areas. Now BJD will have to stop the political drama and answer the public.
Biju Janata Dal is clarifying who looted the DMF money meant for the mining affected people, whose pocket this money went to. This is another example of the injustice of the previous Naveen Babu government towards the rights of the mining affected tribals and the poor. The Narendra Modi government introduced the DMF system so that the benefits of the money earned from mining would reach the mining affected people. But during the BJD government, that money was being looted.
Not only that, the BJD is now accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of working in the interests of mining companies. Data shows that out of the total political donations of Rs 775 crore received by the Biju Janata Dal, Rs 682 crore was collected from mining companies, which is 88% of the total amount.
The BJD is clarifying why the mining companies gave them so much unsolicited money? Is this a reward for waiving the fines that were to be collected after the Shah Commission’s recommendations, asked Mr. Biswal.
While the government agreed to discuss the MMDR amendment in the assembly, both the BJD and the Congress did not allow the house to run. Why are the Biju Janata Dal and the Congress holding back from an open debate on the MMDR amendment? If the Biju Janata Dal has the courage, Shri Biswal has called for an open debate on the MMDR Act and the CAG report.
