Supreme Court Restrains Andhra Govt From Transferring Funds From SDRF To Personal Deposit Account

The Supreme Court today restrained the Andhra Pradesh government from transferring funds from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to personal deposit accounts.

A Bench of Justice M R Shah and Justice B V Nagarathna said this is a very serious issue, and issued notice to the state government in the matter.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati told the court the Ministry of Finance has asked questions from the state on the issue.

Advocate Gaurav Bansal, appearing for petitioner Palla Srinivasa Rao, submitted that Andhra Pradesh has diverted funds from SDRF to personal deposit accounts which is not permissible under the Disaster Management Act.

He submitted that the state government is illegally utilising the funds of the State Disaster Response Fund for the purposes other than specified under Section 46 (2) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

"It is respectfully submitted that at a time when the court is actively and continuously monitoring the implementation of its order dealing with the issue of disbursing of ex-gratia assistance of Rs 50,000 to next of kin of those died due to COVID-19 and is leaving no stone unturned to provide benefits of the said order to public at large, the act of Andhra Pradesh whereby the State is diverting the State Disaster Response Fund to personal deposit account is not only against the law of the land but is also contemptuous is nature," the plea submitted.

With PTI inputs