Why details of spending on ads, welfare schemes not filed, HC asks Punjab govt
“This court prima facie is of the opinion that the principal secretary, finance, has already committed contempt of this court by not making compliance of the order. Affidavit be filed on or before the next date of hearing,” the bench of justice Kuldeep Tiwari observed seeking affidavit by January 30.
The Punjab and Haryana high court has sought personal affidavit of the principal secretary, finance, Punjab, over failure to submit details of government spending on advertisements and social welfare schemes; and also detail the reasons for the same.
It was on September 23, 2024, that a high court bench had sought details of expenses on advertisements in print and audio-video media, including break-up about the states and languages. Further details of expenditure on social welfare schemes such as free electricity, Atta Dal scheme etc. were also to be supplied. These details were to be supplied for the period between December 2021 and September 2024.
The details were sought during hearing of a petition from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Punjab and others, pending from 2022, seeking the release of the outstanding dues/claims of the hospitals registered under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme for patient care for which 60% of the amount is paid by the Centre and 40% is the state’s share. IMA allegations were that ?500 crore is admitted liability till December 2022, yet to be released by the state, and only ?26 crore has been released. The allegations were also levelled of misutilisation of funds and the central government counsel told the court that its share worth ? ?355.48 crore up to 2023- 24 has been given by the Centre and but has been “misutilised” by the state.
The details were also sought of expenses incurred on renovation of the houses/offices of Class-1 officers as well as ministers/MLAs. It was also directed that details of litigation expenses for pursuing cases in SC and Delhi HC for the state and any other agency/ person be submitted.
In subsequent hearing in October, Punjab had claimed that only ?46 crore is pending to be paid to the hospitals. The state had also claimed that it has neither ‘misutilised or withheld the funds’ of the central government. In fact, Punjab put the blame on the Centre and told the court that the central government is yet to release ?250 crore as its share under the scheme. When matter came up for hearing on November 19, both Punjab and the Centre agreed for a meeting on the issue and it was resolved that on December 2, they would hold a meeting to discuss funds disbursal under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
However, when the matter was taken up on January 23, neither the details of the outcome of the joint meeting were filed before the court nor an affidavit about giving details of spending on advertisements and social welfare schemes etc. were filed.
“This court prima facie is of the opinion that the principal secretary, finance, has already committed contempt of this court by not making compliance of the order. Affidavit be filed on or before the next date of hearing,” the bench of justice Kuldeep Tiwari observed seeking affidavit, which discloses the reasons for not making compliance of the court directions, by January 30.