CAG flags major irregularities in Bengal’s post-Amphan relief
Audit says damage assessment lacked evidence, Rs 18.07 crore was paid multiple times to over 9,200 beneficiaries, and Bulbul beneficiary lists were reused
Kolkata, Jul 25 (PTI) The CAG has flagged serious irregularities in the West Bengal government's post-Cyclone Amphan relief and restoration works, alleging that damage assessments were exaggerated, relief payments were made multiple times to thousands of beneficiaries and assistance was disbursed using beneficiary lists prepared for an earlier cyclone.
In its compliance audit report on post-Amphan relief and restoration works, tabled in the Assembly on Saturday, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) said the state's assessment of damages submitted for seeking central assistance was "exaggerated and unrealistically high" and was not supported by adequate evidence of actual losses.
The report was among 28 CAG reports tabled in the Assembly after a gap of four years.
Super cyclonic storm Amphan made landfall on May 20, 2020, affecting 16 districts of West Bengal.
The cyclone impacted nearly 60 per cent of the state's population, claimed 99 lives and caused extensive damage to houses, agriculture, fisheries, forests, power infrastructure, irrigation canals, health facilities and industries.
The state government had sought Rs 35,018 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), against which the Centre recommended assistance of Rs 2,707.77 crore, subject to adjustment of 50 per cent of the balance available in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) account as on March 31 of the preceding financial year.
According to the audit report, the damage assessment prepared by the state's Disaster Management and Civil Defence Department could not be verified because district-wise assessment reports were not made available to audit.
The CAG also pointed to inconsistencies in the distribution of house-building grants.
It noted that up to June 2020, all households with fully or partially damaged houses received Rs 20,000 each. However, after June 2020, beneficiaries with fully damaged houses continued to receive Rs 20,000, while those with partially damaged houses received Rs 25,000 each.
The audit said no records explaining the rationale behind the revised rates were made available.
The report further revealed that house-building grants were credited more than once to the bank accounts of 9,226 beneficiaries, involving Rs 18.07 crore.
"This indicated serious deficiencies in the process of selection of beneficiaries and absence of adequate checks and balances before Direct Benefit Transfer to prevent such multiple payments," the CAG said.
The audit also found mismatches between account numbers mentioned in beneficiary lists and those appearing in bank transaction records in South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur districts.
The discrepancies involved 1,44,175 transactions amounting to Rs 125.07 crore, raising concerns over the integrity of the payment process.
In another major irregularity, the CAG found that horticulture assistance worth Rs 2.82 crore was paid to 5,627 beneficiaries using a beneficiary list prepared for Cyclone Bulbul, which had struck the state in November 2019, instead of Amphan-affected beneficiaries.
The audit highlighted weaknesses in assessment, beneficiary identification and financial controls in the implementation of relief measures following one of the worst cyclones to hit the state. PTI