Srijan effect: 1212 govt accounts shut

Gaya: The impact of the Srijan scam is being felt in Magadh division where no less than 1,212 government accounts with different banks, including Central Bihar Rural Bank, have been closed and more such accounts are to be closed.

Multiplicity of government accounts helped frauds create a web, making monitoring of money trail difficult, sources say. According to officials, soon after the Srijan scam came to light, the government directed district magistrates to closely monitor government accounts and close down those of questionable nature.

Magadh divisional commissioner Jitendra Srivastav on Friday reviewed implementation of the government order on closure of bank accounts.

A press release from the public relations department says that according to figures made available to Jitendra, 467 accounts were being operated in the 24 blocks of the district. Now, 241 of the accounts maintained by block heads have been closed. There are 387 drawing and disbursing officers in Gaya district.

It was revealed during the review that 514 government accounts have been closed in Nawada district alone. The number of closed accounts comes to about 50 per cent of the total accounts.

There are altogether 247 drawing and disbursing officers in Nawada district. The commissioner directed the officials to bring the number of accounts to the minimum. Tracking large number of accounts was a difficult proposition. The commissioner also directed district officials to organise a meet of drawing and disbursing officers and prepare a list of accounts that were not required.

In Aurangabad district, 457 government accounts have been closed. Before closure, there were 1,060 accounts in the district. Also, there are 185 drawing and disbursing officers in the district.

Though the consolidated figure for government accounts in Jehanabad district was not available, the report presented at the review meet said that earlier there used to be 16 types of accounts in each block. It has now been brought down to 8. There will be only one account at the sub-divisional level.

As per official figures, rural engineering department did have as many as 28 accounts in Jehanabad district. Twenty-two of the 28 accounts have now been closed and only six are operational.

Three of the four accounts of the panchayati raj department, two of four of the district Nazareth, three of seven accounts of the child development scheme, two of three accounts of the minority welfare department and 10 of 14 accounts of the welfare department have been shut down in Jehanabad.

The Jehanabad district education officer was maintaining 17 different accounts. Eleven of those have now been shut down. The process is on for closure of 16 more accounts in Jehanabad district.

Courtesy: The Telegraph