Chirmiri: RTI activist Rajkumar Mishra, a resident of Chirmiri, has lodged a serious complaint during the Jan Darshan (public hearing) before the Collector of Manendragarh–Chirmiri–Bharatpur district, alleging misuse of government discretionary grant funds by Chhattisgarh Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal. Mishra has accused the minister of recommending discretionary grants in violation of rules to ineligible persons and close associates during the financial years 2023–24 and 2024–25, causing a financial loss of lakhs of rupees to the state exchequer.
According to the complaint, the discretionary grant amounts were allegedly collected in the form of cheques from the Collector’s office by individuals close to the minister and then personally delivered to the beneficiaries at their homes. It has also been alleged that beneficiaries were expected to show gratitude in return. Mishra stated that photographs were taken during the cheque distribution process and later shared publicly on social media platforms. He emphasized that as per established rules, discretionary grant amounts must be disbursed only by authorized government officials directly to beneficiaries, and no public representative or their associates are permitted to be involved in this process.
The RTI activist claimed that if recommendations had not been made in favor of ineligible individuals, the discretionary grant payments would not have been sanctioned at all, thereby saving public funds. He alleged that the minister’s improper recommendations led to the misuse of government money, amounting to serious financial irregularities.
In his detailed complaint, Mishra cited information obtained under the Right to Information Act, which, according to him, revealed several irregularities. He alleged that close associates of the minister, individuals connected to a political party, employees, and personal supporters were granted amounts ranging between ₹20,000 and ₹25,000 under the pretext of education and health assistance, even when there was no genuine or serious justification. In some cases, grants were reportedly sanctioned in the name of education to elderly and illiterate men and women who had no direct connection with educational activities.
The complaint further alleges that employees of South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), whose monthly salaries reportedly exceed ₹1 lakh, were also provided discretionary grants, raising questions about eligibility and fairness. Additionally, Mishra claimed that in certain families, documents were used to show five members as simultaneously ill, resulting in each individual receiving ₹25,000 as health-related assistance. Such cases, he stated, clearly point toward manipulation and misuse of rules governing discretionary grants.
Mishra has also alleged that these recommendations violate Article 266(3) of the Constitution of India, which mandates that public funds must be used strictly in accordance with law. He has urged the Collector to order a thorough verification of all beneficiaries who received discretionary grants during the concerned financial years. His demands include Aadhaar-based age verification, scrutiny of bank accounts, and examination of utilization certificates to determine whether the funds were used for their intended purposes.
The RTI activist has expressed hope that, following the Collector’s directions, a serious, impartial, and lawful investigation will be conducted into the matter, and that appropriate action will be taken against those found guilty of financial misconduct and misuse of public funds.
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