CIL misusing Rs 10.65 crore collected for PMNRF: RTI Report

New Delhi, Oct 22 (UNI) Funds amounting to more than Rs 10.65 crore, collected by Coal India Limited (CIL) for the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF), have been misused and diverted by the company for use as its working capital, according to a Right To Information inquiry report.

''It is clear that Rs 40,65,25,163.54 was due as contribution by to the PMNRF but only Rs 30,00,00,000 has been contributed to PMNRF ... Out of the balance Rs 10,65,25,163.54... Rs 5,93,82,353.04 is still lying with CIL,'' said the enquiry report initiated on a petition of Mujibur Rehman an employee with South Eastern Coalfield Limited (SECL), a subsidiary of CIL.

''It is evident from CIL notification that funds have been collected for PMNRF and employees have been given income tax relief based on contributions... the fund that has been with CIL as working capital,'' said the PMO report, for which the first petition was filed on November 2, 2006.

Funds which were analysed as part of the inquiry were contributed by the CIL employees for 2005 Jammu and Kashmir earthquake, 2004 Tsunami, 2001 Gujarat earthquake and 1999 Orissa cyclone relief.

During the 1999 Kargil war, Rs 7,25,48,393,34, was collected as contribution towards NDF. However, only Rs 7.08 crore was forwarded.

''The remaining amount Rs 16,58,393.34 due from CIL was forwarded only on August 2007 after the inquiry was initiated,'' said the report.

The document said PMNRF funds have been forwarded to other organisations and relief material has been purchased from the money without any authorisation from the PMNRF.

''Funds have been kept in an unauthorised manner and were being used as working capital, which is against norms. The delay and unauthorised use has caused loss of interest to PMNRF,'' it said.

The income tax rebate, the report said, was provided without transmission of funds to the PMO and without the requisite receipt from the PMNRF.

''This could be in violation of the income tax laws.'' In case of the Gujarat quake fund, the company had collected about Rs 10,44,48,312.38 crore but deposited Rs 12 crore.

''The source of the excess collection is not clear,'' it said.

Addressing a press conference, Mr Rehman alleged that after filing the application he was being threatened and victimised by the company management for exposing the irregularities.

''In June 2007, I was summoned by SECL CMD B K Sinha and he asked me to stop using RTI... and if I didn't I would come on road,'' he alleged.

Mr Rehman said since the filing of the first RTI application he has been transferred twice. He was served a chargesheet by the company in April 2006 for misconduct.

Mr Rehman, in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has demanded that an FIR be registered in the matter and criminal proceedings initiated against the guilty.

He has also demanded that an inquiry be launched into collection of funds for Latur earthquake, AP cyclone and Jabalpur earthquake.

UNI