Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 5: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has put the Jammu and Kashmir Government in the dock for its failure to submit the Utilization Certificates of over Rs 2100 crore worth developmental works and annual accounts of various Autonomous Bodies besides keeping the fate of 169 projects hanging in balance despite incurring an expenditure of Rs 590 crore.
In its latest report, the copy of which was tabled in the State Legislature today, the CAG has pointed out the position of outstanding Utilization Certificates (UCs) at the end of 2011-12 has deteriorated vis-à-vis the position at the end of 2010-11 due to failure of the Administrative Secretaries to ensure strict adherence to the financial rules by the officers subordinate to them.
“Financial Rules provide that for the grants provided for specific purposes, Utilization Certificates should be obtained by the departmental officers and after verification these should be forwarded to the Accountant General, Jammu and Kashmir within 18 months from the date of their sanction unless specified otherwise”, the CAG said.
However, a total of 2931 Utilization Certificates involving Rs 2118 crore were outstanding as on March 31, 2012 of which 2166 Utilization Certificates amount to Rs 1,727 crore were outstanding for more than one year, the CAG pointed out.
A total of 765 Utilization Certificates involving Rs 390.42 crore have been outstanding for one year while as 830 UCs involving Rs 890.70 crore have been outstanding for the period ranging between one to three years and 1336 UCs for Rs 836.50 crore worth works have been delayed for the period ranging between three to five years.
“The State Government has failed to submit such a large number of Utilization Certificates despite the fact that a sound internal financial reporting with relevant and reliable information significantly contributes to efficient and effective governance by the State Government and the compliance with financial rules, procedures and directives as well as the timeliness and quality of reporting on the status of such compliances is one of the attributes of good governance”, the CAG said, adding “the reports on compliance and controls, if effective and operational, assist the State Government in meeting its basic stewardship responsibilities including strategic planning and decision making”.
Not only on the timely submission of Utilization Certificates the State Government has also failed to complete the public importance projects in time.
“A total of 169 projects, which should have been completed by March 2012 were incomplete despite incurring an expenditure of Rs 590.36 crore”, the report said, adding “the delay in completion of these projects ranged between one and 11 years despite availability of sufficient funds (closing cash balance of Rs 961 crore) these projects were not completed”.
A total of 81 projects of the Public Works Department are incomplete despite expenditure of Rs 336.63 crore as on March 31, 2012 while as fate of 85 projects of Public Health Engineering Department has been hanging in balance despite expenditure of Rs 230.77 crore and 3 projects of Irrigation and Flood Control Department are incomplete despite expenditure of Rs 22.96 crore.
The CAG has also painted dismal picture about submission of annual accounts by the autonomous bodies. “A total of 301 annual accounts of 32 bodies were awaited in audit as on March 31, 2012”, the report said, adding “six autonomous bodies required to be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General had also not furnished the annual accounts”.
These autonomous bodies are —LAHDC Leh, LAHDC Kargil, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir and Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir Legal Services Authority, Srinagar and Provident Fund Organization, Srinagar.
There has been delay of one to 17 years in submission of 17 accounts by the LAHDC Leh, delay of one to 8 years in submission of eight accounts by LAHDC Kargil, delay of one to two years in submission of two accounts by SKUAST-K, delay of one to two years in submission of one account by SKUAST-J, delay of one to 15 years in submission of 15 accounts by Jammu and Kashmir Legal Services Authority, Srinagar and delay of one to 12 years in submission of 13 accounts by Provident Fund Organization, Srinagar.
“The audit of LAHDC Leh and LAHDC Kargil has been entrusted to the CAG up to 2011-12 and Leh Hill Council has failed to submit accounts for audit since its inception in 1995-96 although substantial sums are being released to the Council and unspent balances at the end of the year remain credited in a non-lapsable fund in the Public Account of the State”, the report said, adding “same is the position in respect of LAHDC Kargil which came into existence in 2004-05 and the accounts are in arrears since inception”.
The CAG has termed the non-submission/delay in submission of accounts by these bodies a serious financial irregularity persisting for years. “In view of the non-compliance, the audited accounts of these statutory bodies have not so far been presented to the State Legislature”, the report said, adding “this has deprived the State Legislature of feedback on their activities and financial performance”.
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