People's Democracy

INTEREST paid on unutilised loans, disappearance of foodgrains from government godowns, purchase of aeroplanes which are not needed – these and similar wasteful expenditure of the West Bengal Congress government involving nearly Rs 630 million have been pointed out in 18,145 objections made by the Audit Report for 1965 placed on the table of the State Legislative Assembly on November 2, 1965 – and all this at a time when there is an every-gushing flow of words from every congress leader’s mouth about self-reliant economy, cutting down expenditure, missing meals and tightening belts.

• In March 1964 the state government took a loan of Rs 48.1 million from the Life Insurance Corporation for purposes of housing. The government failed to utilise Rs 16.1 million of this loan, but had to pay Rs 1.1 million as interest on this unutilised loan.

• What happened to the tenements that were built is yet another scandal. Hundreds of tenements could not be rented out and in two locations alone the loss on this count was Rs 68,000. Outstanding rents for two tenement estates rose to Rs 13,900. Ninety houses costing Rs 3.4 million remained unsold.

• During 1960-61, about 100,000 quintals of foodgrains disappeared from government godowns and in transit. Loss suffered: Rs 4.4 million. About 4,100 quintals of rice and paddy shown as "closing stock" in the accounts for 1959-60 and 1960-61 could not be traced. Loss suffered: Rs 154,000. The state government was also generous enough not to realize Rs 8.6 million dues recoverable from rice mill-owners and private parties. Outstanding against two flour-mills was about Rs 1.4 million and Rs 152,000 on account of price of wheat supplied for grinding from 1957 to 1960. In addition a sum of Rs 486,000 was outstanding against the same two mills as pre-partition dues.

• Such generosity was not restricted only to the rice and flour mill-owners. Royalties amounting to Rs 4.5 million from thirty-two collieries due on January 1, 1964, had not been realised.

• About Rs 70 million was outstanding at the end of 1957-58 on account o sales-tax. The latest outstanding figure was not available.

• An officer of the West Bengal state Service after he had been treated as belonging to the Higher Judicial Service was allowed additional financial benefits to the extent of Rs 42,000. The audit report for 1964 had mentioned a similar case of unusual financial benefits granted to an ICS officer. It will be interesting to know who the officers are and how they qualified for such favoured treatment.