Jsr East MLA calls upon CM to act against the minister for opening office on public holiday
Jamshedpur, April 15: Facing heat due to Jamshedpur East MLA Saryu Roy’s allegation on illegal withdrawal of funds, state health minister Banna Gupta on Friday cancelled the order for Covid incentive amount for minister’s cell.
A press release issued by Banna Gupta while informing about the cancellation of the order, said, “ I am in a constitutional post and it is my duty to lead public life. In such a situation, on the basis of the decision of the department, the employees were given incentive money in the minister’s cell. Now cancelling it, orders have been given to distribute the said incentive amount to other needy workers under the Health Department.”
The Health Minister said that whatever allegations have been made by Saryu Roy, then the papers should also be brought to the fore.
“It should be told if the amount has been withdrawn, then when and in whose account it went. How did the documents related to the health department finally reach him. An inquiry has also been ordered into this matter. He said that this is a violation of the Service Secret Act and action will also be taken against those who are guilty,” said Gupta.
Banna further said that the file was sent before him on February 14 for payment of incentive amount to the officials and workers working under the Health Department.
The minister said that the amount was approved for the ministerial fund, but no one was paid.
Banna Gupta said that the names of 60 people in his cell and 94 from the health department were in the list. It was approved. The expenditure of 14 lakh 59 thousand was estimated for the ministerial cell, but no one had received the amount.
“There was a need to understand the reality of assessment and expenditure. I myself cancelled the approval order, which was assessed on the expenditure on the people of the ministerial cell. An order related to this was also issued. The minister challenged Saryu Roy to give proof of taking money by the people of Minister’s cell.
Meanwhile, Saryu Roy had earlier in the day, released a press statement questioning how the office of the health minister was functioning on Ambedkar Jayanti a public holiday and issued an official statement in the evening that the Covid incentive amount taken by Health Minister Banna Gupta and others has been taken by the order of the competent authority and based on resolution in the month of February.
“I challenge this statement of the Health Department and condemn the reversal of the file related to the payment of Covid incentive amount by opening the office of the Health Department on a holiday. Opening government offices on such holidays, except in emergency, is an insult to great men and is illegitimate,” said Roy.
“I suspect that by opening office on a holiday tomorrow, the Health Minister has tried to falsify the file and destroy the evidence. They are afraid that as soon as the holiday is over, the Chief Minister or the Finance Minister may order an inquiry and seize the file concerned and call it for investigation,” said Roy.
The Health Department has said in an official statement yesterday that the Minister has distributed the Covid incentive amount by order of the competent authority,
“The people should know Who is the highest competent authority in the health department? Is there any competent authority over the minister in the department which takes decisions about them? Whether the department has received the orders of the Chief Minister or the Governor, who is the competent authority over the minister in the government, in this regard in the concerned subject?” asked Roy.
“It is clear that the Health Minister has committed financial irregularities, corrupt practices. Opening the office during the government holiday for four consecutive days, the related file has been tampered with,” alleged Roy.
Roy requested that Chief Minister, get this file of the health department soon, see the facts, check and take action. The Chief Minister should ensure that the office of the Health Department will not be opened by anyone before Monday (in the holiday period). The Chief Minister should relieve the Minister of Health till the investigation is completed.
