Keonjhar: A three-member team from the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EACPM) arrived in Keonjhar town Wednesday to review the functioning and utilisation of the funds under District Mineral Foundation (DMF). The team is expected to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of developmental activities funded by DMF, especially in the mining-affected areas. The delegation includes joint secretaries KK Tripathi and Apurva Mishra from the EAC-PM. They were accompanied by additional secretary to state’s Planning and Coordination department Pradyumna Mahakud.
Also Read: Elderly woman trampled to death; CM announces Rs 6lakh
Upon their arrival, Keonjhar Collector Vishal Singh welcomed the delegation at the Circuit House here and held discussions over the issue. According to sources, the committee will study the operational efficiency of DMF Trust and review the implementation of various schemes under its purview. This is reportedly the first such visit since the DMF became fully operational in the district. The review comes amid ongoing allegations of irregularities, financial mismanagement, and corruption in DMF-funded projects. There have been claims that project deadlines were repeatedly being missed and extended without performance assessments, while salary hikes for several staff members were approved without authorisation from the DMF Trust Board. The Central team is expected to analyse how DMF funds have been utilised and assess compliance with the newly issued guidelines.
A joint review meeting involving all departments is also scheduled. “The team is here to study how the DMF is functioning, how its funds are being spent, and how to align ongoing projects with the new guidelines,” said Collector Vishal Singh. Meanwhile, locals are watching the developments closely, anticipating what action might follow the findings of this high-level review, said sources.
