HC directive to TN govt on drought relief disbursement

The Madras High Court today directed Tamil Nadu government to ensure that drought relief fund disbursed to non-entitled beneficiaries in Erode District be not only recovered but see that it reached actual beneficiaries within two months.
The directive was issued by a bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M. Sathyanarayanan while disposing of a PIL by a farmer which alleged 'misappropriation' of drought relief fund in 2013 by allocating about 75 per cent to Perundurai taluk, native of then state Revenue Minister in Erode District.
After hearing Advocate General A L Somayaji, the bench in its order noted that the government had not disputed that certain persons not entitled to the benefit have in fact been benefitted and said recoveries had been made.

In view of the discrepancies detected, the issue of disbursement of all amounts must be looked into as for each non-entitled beneficiary there is some other person who may be entitled to it and is deprived of the same.
"Thus, the question is not only of detecting the dis-entitled beneficiaries but also ensuring that the funds which ought not to have been disbursed are disbursed to entitled persons," the bench said.
It directed the government to carry out the exercise within a maximum period of two months from today and ensure that all entitled beneficiaries get the benefit of the scheme aimed at helping affected farmers.

Petitioner M Krishnasamy had alleged that the then state Minister and the district officials have misappropriated the drought relief fund sanctioned by the overnment in 2013 and sought a direction from the court to take action against them.
The dispute pertains to the drought relief fund of Rs.25.27 crores sanctioned to six taluks in Erode district.
The PIL stated that Rs.18.19 crores had been made available only to the native taluk of Minister Thoppu Venkatachalam.