*Rebates, non-recovery of full amount main concern
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 6: In the much-publicized multi-crore Roshni scam, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of State Legislature is going to examine tehsil wise details in respect of 14 districts tomorrow with grant of rebates in blatant violation of the legislation and inordinate delay in recovery of full amount in approved cases remaining the areas of main concern.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that Public Accounts Committee headed by People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLA, Abdul Haq Khan has called the meeting of Deputy Commissioners of 14 districts—10 of Jammu province and four of Kashmir valley tomorrow morning with the direction to furnish tehsil-wise information of the Roshni Scheme.
The Public Accounts Committee will examine the details to be furnished by the Deputy Commissioners of these districts before passing further necessary directions in order to unravel the irregularities committed during the implementation of the Roshni Scheme by the officers and officials of the Revenue Department and the heads of the Price Determination Committees.
The four districts of Kashmir valley, whose heads would be furnishing details to the House Panel, are those which were covered by the Comptroller and Auditor General during the audit, sources said, adding the Public Accounts Committee has also called Revenue Secretary, both the Divisional Commissioners and Principal Accountant General (PAG), J&K in order to discuss all the aspects related to the multi-crore Roshni scam.
The Deputy Commissioners will explain the House Panel on the tehsil-wise total State land available prior to the enactment of J&K State Land (Vesting of Ownerships to the Occupants) Act and total number of applications received for vesting of ownership and disposed of besides the number of pending applications, sources said.
As per the earlier directions of the House Panel, the Deputy Commissioners of 14 districts will furnish details with regard to the total claims approved/rejected by the committees. “They will inform the Public Accounts Committee about the total amount worked out while determining the market price of the State land under illegal possession and the actual amount received from the applicants”, sources said.
“They will apprise the Committee about the reasons behind inordinate delay in receiving the full amount for the regularized land”, they said, adding “the Deputy Commissioners will also furnish the case-wise details as sought by the House Panel”.
Responding to a question, sources said, “rebates and concessions given to certain illegal occupants of the State land and inordinate delay in recovery of full amount against the total land regularized are the two major concerns of the House Panel as both these acts have caused huge loss to the State exchequer”. The Deputy Commissioners will have to explain their stance on both these grave issues.
“Though the Act doesn’t provide for rebates or concessions yet the Government extended the same to certain illegal occupants of State land under the garb of Rules in order to confer undue benefits”, sources said.
Apart from furnishing information on these issues, the Revenue Department will explain the Committee about the officers, who were given the powers to give concessions to the occupants of State land while conferring ownership rights.
Follow our WhatsApp channel