Guwahati: As many as 18,525 utilization certificates are pending with 62 Assam government departments, a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report has said.
The utilization certificates (UCs) related to projects for which an estimated Rs 10,956.66 crore were paid to 62 departments during the period 2001-02 to 2012-13, the report said.
Of the 62 departments, 24 departments had failed to submit utilization certificates in respect of grants released to them during the period 2001-02.
Around 16,788 UCs have been delayed by three or more years. Most of the UCs were pending with the education department (12,444), followed by WPT&BC (516), Social Welfare department (448), industries and commerce (375) and health department (360).
‘In absence of the UCs it could not be ascertained whether the recipients had utilized the grants for the purpose for which it was given,’ the CAG noted.
‘Mention was made in earlier audit reports in this regard, but no efforts were made by the state government to ensure submission of UCs by the respective departments within the prescribed time-frame,’ the report noted.
The CAG noted that the state government’s compliance with various rules, procedures and directives was not satisfactory as was evident from the delay in furnishing utilization certificates against the loans and grants from various grantee organizations. Further, there were also instances of loss and misappropriation which remained unsettled with various departments for period ranging from one to 20 years.
In its recommendations, the CAG sought timely submission of the UCs henceforth and inquiries into the cases of loss and misappropriation to bring the defaulters to book.
‘Internal controls should be strengthened to prevent occurrence of such cases,’ it added. (UNI)
