SHILLONG: In the absence of clear cut guidelines, the CGI sheets which were procured under the Special Rural Work Programme (SRWP) implemented by the Community and Rural Development (C&RD) Department at differential rates, have lead to an extra expenditure of Rs 1.11 crore.
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India reports (Social, General and Economic Sectors and Public Sector Undertaking) for the year ended March 31, 2012, revealed that test check carried out in six out of the 15 Block Development Offices (BDOs), revealed that the CGI sheets were purchased at rates higher than the lowest rates at which the material was procured within the same Block and during the same period.
The CAG report indicates that the test check in the six BDOs offices (Mylliem, Mawphlang, Mawkyrwat, Umsning, Selsella and Tikrikilla) was carried out in February-May 2011, November-December 2011 and January-February 2012.
“Thus violation of the Meghalaya Financial Rules and absence of clear cut guidelines for procurement and distribution of CGI sheets meant for distribution to the beneficiaries as housing assistance resulted in an extra expenditure of Rs 1.11 crore being incurred on procurement of 13,131 bundles of CGI sheets in test-checked blocks,” the CAG report said.
Further, the CAG report said that the State Level Committee (SLC) chaired by Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma in 2009 had discussed on the need to ‘issue clear cut guidelines for procurement and distribution of CGI sheets to the beneficiaries’. “But even after a lapse of three years, no action was taken on these lines,” the CAG report stated.
The matter was reported to the Principal Secretary in charge of Community and Rural Development in October 2012. The reply is still awaited.