Projected Amphan loss was inflated by TMC regime for higher central relief assistance: CAG report

Kolkata, July 26 (IANS) The projected loss in the aftermath of AMPHAN super-cyclone (2020) was presented in an inflated manner by the previous Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government for getting higher central relief financial assistance, said one of 28 reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), that was tabled on the floor of the West Bengal assembly on Saturday, by the state finance minister Swapan Dasgupta.

As per the particular CAG report, the projected loss was not only inflated but also unrealistic. At the same time the previous state government failed to provide substantiating evidence justifying the projected loss as a result of which the exact loss because of the super-cyclone could not be estimated, the CAG report highlighted.

The CAG report specially highlighted one major discrepancy on this count.

According to it, till June 2020, the state government claimed to have projected compensation payment of Rs 20,000 to each of families whose houses were damaged, completely or partially, because of the super-cyclone.

However, as per CAG report after June, while the compensation amount for completely damaged houses remained the same at Rs 20,000, the same for the partially damaged houses was increased to Rs 25,000. Despite repeated queries, the CAG auditors failed to get any satisfactory clarification from the state government on this count.

At the same time, as per the CAG report, there had been a number of cases where the same individual was projected to have received compensation more than once. The maximum number of such cases have been reported from districts like South 24 Parganas district, which was the worst affected because of Cyclone Amphan as well as from other districts like Nadia, East Midnapore and West Midnapore among others.

The bank account numbers mentioned in the consumer list and the account number in the bank transaction records have also been found to be inconsistent in such cases. This discrepancy was found in case of 1,44,175 transactions, with a total value of Rs 125.07 crore

As per the CAG report, this phenomenon indicated serious lapses in the beneficiary selection process and lack of necessary controls to prevent multiple payments before direct benefit transfer (DBT).

On May 20, 2020, super cyclone ‘Amphan’ had hit 16 districts of West Bengal affecting a large number of people in different districts, especially the coastal district in West Bengal. According to the official figures, 99 people died and there was extensive damage to houses, agriculture, fisheries, forests, power infrastructure, irrigation systems, health services and industries.

–IANS

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