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Digvijay accepts BJP demand for inquiry into Kargil relief fund

Acceding to the opposition's demands, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh today said his government would issue the necessary orders to get an inquiry conducted by the leader of the opposition into the complaints regarding the utilisation of money collected for the Kargil welfare fund. ''Let the leader of the opposition Dr Gauri Shankar Shejwar inquire into the matter. Can anything be more transparent than this?'' he said while talking to reporters at the Vidhan Sabha press room in Bhopal.

Singh said funds were collected for the Prime Minister's Relief Fund, National Security Fund, Sainik Welfare Fund and the Chief Minister's Kargil Relief Fund. Referring to the BJP's charge that the state electricity board had withheld Rs 4.6 million out of the Rs 20.21 million collected from its officers and employees towards the Kargil relief fund, the chief minister said he had already promised to get an inquiry conducted.

Singh said the principal secretary (law) and the principal secretary (general administration) have been asked to examine the matter and issue appropriate orders for getting an inquiry conducted by Dr Shejwar. He said the report concerned would be tabled in the House.

Meanwhile, Dr Shejwar told reporters that it would have been much better had the speaker made an announcement in the House, asking him to conduct an inquiry into the matter. ''I am a member of the assembly. The process will have a legal sanctity only if the speaker asks me to do so,'' he said adding that he did not know under what provisions the chief minister would authorise him to conduct the inquiry.

Stating that he was ready to inquire into the complaints regarding the misutilisation of the Kargil fund, Dr Shejwar reiterated his demand for the publication of a White Paper into all aspects pertaining to the issue. About the state government's contention that it was framing a policy for the utilisation of such funds, the leader of the opposition said ''policies should be made regarding the funds drawn through budgetary provisions and not on the funds collected from the public for a particular purpose.'' ''The entire funds collected should be sent to the Prime Minister's Welfare Fund. The state government should not play the role of a middleman,'' he added.

UNI

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