CM orders probe into ‘transfer of funds to wrong bank accounts’

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a thorough investigation over reports of funds meant for students under the ‘Taruner Swapna’ scheme allegedly getting transferred to other accounts.

According to Nabanna sources, Banerjee expressed her displeasure on the issue and has instructed the state top brass to take measures so that the deprived students get their share of funds for buying tabs. The state’s chief secretary has sought a report from the School Education department. The reasons for such wrongful transfer and what steps have been taken to address the matter should be mentioned in detail in the report. The scheme provides financial assistance of Rs 10,000 to students of Class XI and XII for purchasing tablets, smartphones, or PCs. According to sources, as many as 92 students from six schools in East Midnapore and two in East Burdwan didn’t receive their allocated Rs 10,000 in October.

The funds were transferred to around 78,000 students in East Midnapore. However, 64 students from four schools reported not receiving the money. Already, the accounts into which the funds have been wrongly transferred have been frozen. The cyber cell has been roped in to conduct a probe.

In East Burdwan, the amount meant for 28 students has landed in some non-beneficiary accounts.

The District Inspector of Schools (DI) of East Midnapore has lodged an FIR against four headmasters that include Muradpur Vivekananda Vidyapeeth, Adarsha High School, Natshal High School and Dibakarpur High School. Sources said a report was to the chief secretary on Thursday evening. About 16 lakh students in the state were supposed to receive financial assistance for tabs this year. The state is trying to determine whether the transfer of funds to non-beneficiaries was an error, a technical glitch or a case of hacking.