Finance Ministry red-flags CSS fund mis-utilisation by Chhattisgarh govt

Says Rs 1,213 cr being spent in violation of rules and Rs 11 cr diverted to time deposits to earn interest income; calls for action against officers responsible

The finance ministry has raised concerns about violation of guidelines by the Chhattisgarh government in the utilisation of funds transferred to the state for centrally sponsored schemes (CSS).

In two separate letters to the Chhattisgarh chief secretary last month, Union Finance Secretary T V Somanathan said action should be initiated against officers responsible, if necessary.

The union finance ministry has claimed that Rs 1,213 crore has not been transferred to the Single Nodal Agency (SNA) accounts and the expenditure is being incurred directly from the state treasury in violation of union Finance Ministry guidelines. It also pointed out that over