Rs 6.06 crore DMF funds for five Odisha students' foreign studies irregular: CAG

Bhubaneswar, Sep 29 (UNI) The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has flagged irregular utilisation of District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds in Odisha, including sanctioning Rs 6.06 crore to sponsor higher studies of five students in Australia, in violation of prescribed guidelines. The audit report, tabled in the Odisha Assembly on Monday, observed that the Keonjhar DMF sanctioned the amount in August 2023 to fund five students selected for a Master of Professional Engineering (Mining) course at Curtin University, Australia. The funds were meant to cover course fees, health insurance and living expenses. The CAG noted that the amount was sanctioned…