Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Mar 5: Passing severe strictures against the Rural Development Department (RDD) and Power Development Department (PDD), Committee on Public Accounts (PAC) of State Assembly in its report has observed that the two departments have shown a casual approach in responding to the audit observations contained in CAG reports, in their written replies, furnished for the perusal of the Committee.
In its report for the year 2013-2014 tabled in State Assembly here yesterday, the PAC was of the view that the reply to the audit paragraphs should have been specific to the action taken in response to the observations of the audit in order to satisfy the Committee and the auditing agency for a suitable disposal of the audit paragraphs. But ironically, the replies received by the Committee were found incomplete and evasive, it added.
The PAC has expressed its serious concern over the rolling of responsibilities by the incumbent officers to their predecessors for non implementation of various guidelines and Government orders/ instructions for the implementation of various State/ Central schemes in the State affecting the purpose of their implementation.
The Committee has also shown its serious concern over the failure of the HoDs of the departments in adopting a proper mechanism to bring the audit observations to the notice of the concerned ministers seeking their intervention and guidance for the timely disposal of such matters as the reply of audit observations was being fanalized at the level of HoDs only.
The Committee issued instructions to HoDs to prepare and place before the concerned ministers, within a maximum period of 15 days from the date of laying of CAG/ Committee reports on the table of the House, the specific replies to the audit observations/ queries for their onward transmission to the auditing agency and the Committee, in a time bound manner, for their timely disposal.
The PAC has also taken serious note over the failure of various departments in furnishing the Action Taken Reports (ATR) to the Assembly Secretariat, within the specific period of time in accordance with Rule 308-A of RoP &COB in the J&K Legislative Assembly. Terming it a serious matter, the Committee has urged the departmental heads to ensure the compliance of the rules to uphold the integrity of the House, at all costs.
The Committee expressed its displeasure over the non submission of ATRs in respect of audit paragraphs contained in the CAG report for the year ending March, 2012 by various departments despite repeated reminders in this behalf. It urged the Chief Secretary to impress upon all the departmental heads to ensure timely submission of the ATRs to the Assembly Secretariat for the perusal/ examination of the Committee.
While passing strictures against the RDD, the Committee observed that reply given by the Department to audit paras besides being non specific, was extremely evasive, misleading and vague on the grounds that the reply was silent about the three major issues including reasons for holding of lesser number of meetings of the State Employment Guarantee Council (SEGC) than provided under the scheme, reasons for partial implementation of decisions of SEGs & reasons for non publication of annual reports on the state of affairs for the implementation of the programmes which were required to be presented in the State Legislature, annually.
The Committee also expressed its serious concern over non operation of State Employment Guarantee Funds as intended under the programme as on March 2012 resulting in un disbursed balance of Rs 15.81 crore in the fund mainly representing areas of un disbursed difference of wages.
The Committee further observed that the particulars of the Fund have not been communicated to the GOI which have resulted in the direct release of funds by GoI to the districts thereby defeating the very purpose of the establishment of SEGF. The Committee also expressed its serious concern over the serious lapses of the Department on this statutory issue.
Taking serious exception to the payments made to the suppliers by VLWs, the Committee wanted to know about the reasons for not making such payments to the suppliers directly after deduction of taxes on source.
The Committee in its report has also taken RDD authorities to task for not implementing the decision of SEGC till date.
The Committee, while taking a general review of the implementation of the decisions of the SEGC taken during first three meetings, observed that most of the important decisions were not implemented by the Department till date resulting into delay in the implementation of the schemes in the State and non achievement of desired results.
In its observations on the working of PDD the PAC while referring to the findings of the audit report regarding the incompletion of the execution of 10 Grid Sub Stations, 16 transmission lines and augmentation of existing transformation capacity taken up during the review period, the Committee observed that the reply furnished by the Department was based on presumptions as the figures recorded in the information schedule were obsolete as indicated by the MD JKPDC which needed to be corrected.
While reprimanding the Department the Committee in its observations made it clear that wrong information invites the action under the breach of privileges and this would not be compromised upon at any cost.
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