The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized ₹49.8 crore along with gold and diamond jewellery from two apartments belonging to Arpita Mukherjee in the past seven days. The first seizure was on Friday when ₹21.9 crore and gold and diamond-encrusted jewellery worth ₹77 lakh were found.
The second was on Wednesday when ₹27.9 crore and gold ornaments and bars worth ₹4.31 crore were found. The Telegraph tried to calculate things Mukherjee could have done with just the cash seized.
Midday meals
She could have bought a day’s school midday meal for ₹9.32 crore (9,32,58,427 to be precise) for children aged between 3 and 10 years.
According to government estimates, one student’s midday meal comprising 100 grams of rice, pulses, potato, salt, green vegetables, egg and soya chunks costs ₹5.34.
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Primary schools
Mukherjee could have built around 83 primary school buildings with the money. An official of the primary education department told The Telegraph that building a primary school with four classrooms, a kitchen and a toilet, coupled with the cost of water supply and electricity would need around ₹60 lakh.
Sub-health centres
Mukherjee could have built 71 sub-health centres across West Bengal’s villages with ₹49.8 crore she had. A sub-health centre with facilities of pre-natal and post-natal care, which is the primary source of vitamin tablets and iron tablets, especially for women in rural Bengal, approximately costs ₹70 lakh, said an official of the state health department.
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Shelter homes
Mukherjee could have built 33 homes for 1,650 rescued trafficked girls. According to sources in the department of women and child development and social welfare, a home that could accommodate 50 trafficked girls above the age of 18 years costs around ₹1.5 crore.
Sulabh complexes
Mukherjee could have gifted 332 new Sulabh complexes to Kolkata. Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials said a Sulabh complex with five urinals for men and women, multiple toilets and electricity supply would cost around ₹15 lakh, depending upon size and location in the KMC area. Or she could have...
Europe tours
Mukherjee could have made 2,490 round trips to Switzerland and France with the money. A Thomas Cook tour operators aid a seven-day round trip to two European countries would cost an individual ₹2 lakh.
Mercedes
Mukherjee, who owns a Honda City, could have bought a fleet of 19 Mercedes-Maybach S-Classes. A Mercedes-Maybach S-Class costs around ₹2.5 crore.