Snubbed by Calcutta HC, Bengal govt sanctions Rs 50 crore for lower and district court infra

Kolkata, Sep 17 (IANS) Pulled up by a division bench of the Calcutta High Court, the West Bengal government on Wednesday sanctioned Rs 50 crore for infrastructure development and maintenance of lower and district courts across the state.

West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant informed about the government's decision to the division bench of Justice Debangsu Basak and Justice Shabbar Rashidi during a virtual presence at the court on Wednesday afternoon.

In the earlier hearing in the matter on September 11, the same division bench raised questions on the reluctance of the state government in providing funds for the infrastructure development, as well as the betterment of different lower and district courts in the state. The High Court had also directed the Chief Secretary to specify the date by which the state government would release the necessary funds for that purpose on the next date of hearing.

The matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, and there the Chief Secretary informed the division bench of the allotment of Rs 50 crore by the state government for that purpose. Pant also informed the court that the amount will be utilized for expenditure behind 14 projects related to infrastructure development for different lower and district courts.

However, the division bench pointed out that the state government had yet to make its position clear on funds for 53 other similar infrastructure development projects for lower and district courts.

The Chief Secretary sought seven more days to clarify the matter to the court. The next date of hearing in the matter has been scheduled for September 24.

The state government has faced criticism for delays in disbursing funds, which have stalled several infrastructure-related works in courts across West Bengal, including the Calcutta High Court itself.

--IANS

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