Diversion of Singareni CSR funds confirmed
Hyderabad: A 2-member technical team of the Union Coal Ministry has confirmed the misuse of CSR (corporate social responsibility) funds of the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL). The team in its report said the state government was utilizing the CSR funds for the state-sponsored schemes and also corporate events like the recently held world famous football player Lionel Messi’s match in the city.
Top sources said the team collected adequate evidence to prove the diversion of the CSR funds for other purposes during the investigation held last month at the Singareni corporate office in Hyderabad. “The Coal Ministry took serious note of the issue of spending over Rs 10 crore Singareni CSR funds for world famous Lionel Messi’s football event held at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium last month.”
The Singareni company has been spending CSR funds for community development programmes in the coal belt every year. Most of the funds were being spent to construct school buildings, medical facilities, drinking water supply and other community services.
Recently, the Singareni company spent nearly Rs 15 crore under corporate social responsibility. “Apart from the football event, the company also released funds for the state government’s Rajiv Abhaya Hastham scheme,” the team revealed, adding that the government was also diverting the coal company funds liberally against the guidelines.Officials said the two-member team -- Deputy Director General (Coal Ministry) Chetna Shukla and Director M Vekateshwarlu - analyzed the tender process and identified the reasons which led to the cancellation of the tender process.
The team also took up the comparison of practices adopted by the other coal companies in preparation of Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) published on November 28 for the appointment of a mine development operator (MDO) for the coal block. The team will present its observations in the final report on the tenders which is being submitted to the Coal Ministry in two or three days.