Kolkata: The West Bengal government has ordered an audit into the alleged multi-crore cooperative bank scam linked to long-term loans, state cooperation minister Ashok Kirtania said on Friday.
An FIR has already been ordered in the Mangalkot area of Bardhaman district following instructions from chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, the state minister said, adding that more FIRs are likely to follow.
"There has been large-scale corruption in the entire system and farmers have become victims of this system," Kirtania said.
The audit has been initiated to investigate alleged irregularities in the disbursal of long-term loans by cooperative banks over the past 15 years during the previous Trinamool Congress government. "I have not set any deadline for the audit as the corruption is multi-layered and involves several crores. My officers will conduct the audit and expose the corruption," he said.
According to departmental sources, 17 central cooperative banks currently provide long-term loans. However, recovery of these loans has emerged as a major concern, sources told ET. "Influential individuals allegedly linked to the previous government had taken loans that were never repaid. Recovery of funds is also one of our major goals," the minister said. There are also 24 district cooperative banks that provide long-term loans.
"We will not allow any corruption in the system," Kirtania told ET. The minister also said the state government has launched a major crackdown on irregularities in the ration distribution system. Wheat flour distribution through ration shops has been stopped and replaced with wheat supplied directly by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to public distribution system beneficiaries. Kirtania added that he would conduct surprise inspections at ration shops to identify and curb corruption in the system.
An FIR has already been ordered in the Mangalkot area of Bardhaman district following instructions from chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, the state minister said, adding that more FIRs are likely to follow.
"There has been large-scale corruption in the entire system and farmers have become victims of this system," Kirtania said.
The audit has been initiated to investigate alleged irregularities in the disbursal of long-term loans by cooperative banks over the past 15 years during the previous Trinamool Congress government. "I have not set any deadline for the audit as the corruption is multi-layered and involves several crores. My officers will conduct the audit and expose the corruption," he said.
According to departmental sources, 17 central cooperative banks currently provide long-term loans. However, recovery of these loans has emerged as a major concern, sources told ET. "Influential individuals allegedly linked to the previous government had taken loans that were never repaid. Recovery of funds is also one of our major goals," the minister said. There are also 24 district cooperative banks that provide long-term loans.
"We will not allow any corruption in the system," Kirtania told ET. The minister also said the state government has launched a major crackdown on irregularities in the ration distribution system. Wheat flour distribution through ration shops has been stopped and replaced with wheat supplied directly by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to public distribution system beneficiaries. Kirtania added that he would conduct surprise inspections at ration shops to identify and curb corruption in the system.
