The BJP-led state government would set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe beneficiaries of welfare schemes like Lakshmir Bhandar after primary findings revealed that several Trinamool leaders had taken illegal benefits, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari said at Nabanna on Monday.
"It has come to light that several ineligible people, mainly Trinamool leaders, have unlawfully withdrawn financial benefits. The figure could be huge, but we cannot ascertain the gravity of the situation right now. As this involves financial illegalities, I have asked the DGP to set up an SIT to find out the truth," Suvendu said.
He named three men — Rakibul Seikh, Mustafijur Rahman and Tarikul Rahman of Murshidabad — and said they were operating around 22 bank accounts to withdraw finance aid under Lakshmir Bhandar, meant only for women.
"This is how the previous government misappropriated public money, and this is why the (new BJP) government had to launch a (12-page) form to prepare a clean beneficiary list for Annapurna Yojana," Suvendu said.
Earlier, the chief minister had said there could be about 30 lakh ineligible beneficiaries on the Lakshmir Bhandar list.
Though the chief minister did not make it clear what action would be taken against those found to be withdrawing government assistance illegally, he made it clear that the situation emerged only because the previous government did not verify the beneficiaries.
"Did the previous government want to verify the application? Were the officials allowed to verify the beneficiaries? If they were allowed to, a male TMC leader from West Mindpoure would not have been withdrawing widow's pension. I can say a few hundreds were getting benefits for unemployed youths despite not having passed Madhyamik, the minimum educational qualification for the scheme," said the chief minister.
He also said that even though the form launched for Annapurna Yojana has 12 pages, beneficiaries would have to fill in three to four pages since the rest contain details for applicants who have applied for the CAA or appealed before tribunals after their names were deleted from the electoral rolls.
"We have decided that all those voters whose names were deleted from the rolls but appealed before the tribunals or applied for citizenship under the CAA would be given benefits until the tribunals take a decision on their appeals or CAA applications are disposed of. Can you say it is unjustified if the government wants to get some details of the beneficiaries who will get ₹36,000 a year?" Suvendu asked.
Suvendu said that on Wednesday, he would start disbursing benefits to the women whose applications were verified based on filled-out forms.
"You will see that a large number of beneficiaries will start getting benefits under Annapurna Yojana after their names are verified. There is no need to rush, all eligible women will get benefits," said Suvendu.
"Every week, any of my cabinet colleagues or I will brief about the progress of the scheme," said the chief minister.
He also urged common people not to take the law into their hands, even if they identify those who have misappropriated public money.
"Lodge complaints with the police, and authorities will take action. Police and officials have changed. This is the change (poriborton) that people wanted," he said.