Belagavi
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has taken cognizance of irregular expenditure of funds under the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY) in violation of guidelines.
The CAG conducted an audit of the money spent on the welfare of mining-affected areas using the funds collected by the District Mineral Foundation Trusts (DMFT) between 2015 and 2023. The trusts collected ₹4,003.51 crore and incurred expenditure of ₹1,826.46 crore during the period. The CAG report was tabled in the Legislative Assembly in Belagavi on Wednesday.
In its findings, the CAG noted that Deputy Commissioner Ballari had used ₹68 crore to purchase 12 vehicles using the DMFT fund in 2021, violating the guidelines. Similarly, the report noted that ₹1.26 million was spent on the salary of home guards and road improvement in the Ballari Deputy Commissioner’s office between 2020 and 2023.
When the CAG sought a reply on the expenditure, against the guidelines, the state government claimed that it was incurred as per the approval of the finance department. However, the CAG said the government’s response was not acceptable.
“The reply was not acceptable as the finance department has no powers to sanction expenditure under DMFT rules,” the report said.
Published – 17 Dec 2025 20:04 IST
