Angul DMF Under Scrutiny: Allegations of Fund Misuse and Lack of Transparency

Angul, (Debaranjan Samal) :  The District Mineral Foundation (DMF) in Angul, a critical body responsible for channeling mining royalties into welfare projects for affected communities, is facing severe backlash over its failure to uphold transparency and accountability. Established under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015, the DMF administers the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY), aimed at improving living conditions in mining-affected regions. 

Despite receiving hundreds of crores annually, primarily from Mahanadi Coalfields Limited, the district’s leading mining leaseholder, DMF Angul has allegedly flouted mandatory disclosure norms. Official portals, designed to ensure public oversight, remain shockingly outdated. Audit and annual reports have not been uploaded since 2020-21, while trust meeting details were last updated in 2022. Crucial documents, including budgetary allocations, project plans, and work orders, are conspicuously absent from the website, raising concerns about mismanagement or deliberate violation.

Talcher based RTI activist Deba Prasad Sahoo, who had filed a formal complaint with the Angul Collector earlier this year, has accused the administration of deliberate negligence. “The consistent failure to disclose vital information undermines public trust and violates the very principles of governance that DMFs were meant to uphold,” Sahoo stated. Frustrated by the lack of response, he warned to escalate the matter to the Odisha High Court through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) if immediate corrective action is not taken. 

With crores of public funds at stake, activists and citizens alike are demanding stringent accountability to ensure that mining revenues truly benefit the communities they are meant to serve.