Four years on, music academy nowhere in sight

SHILLONG: Despite funds being allotted four years ago, the much publicized Music Academy is yet to be constructed by the State Government.
As per a the report submitted by the CAG following an inspection carried out with the Arts and Culture department, administrative sanction for construction of the Meghalaya Music Academy was accorded by the Meghalaya Government under Special Plan Assistance vide letter dated, March 21, 2011.
However, another administrative approval and sanction for setting up of an Institute for Music, Heritage and Culture under Special Central Assistance was also accorded vide letter dated March 31, 2012 for an amount of Rs.28.42 crore.
Meghalaya Government Construction Company Limited (MGCC) which was entrusted to carry out the work prepared an estimate under the title ‘Construction of Music Academy’ under Special Plan Assistance (SPA) amounting to Rs.28.42 lakh.
The audit team observed that construction of the Music Academy was stipulated for completion in 2014-15, at an expenditure of Rs.17,49,82,916  apart from other expenses of Rs.2,99,610 for construction of boys’ and girls’ hostels. The cash book revealed that Rs.75 lakh was released to MGCC in 2012, however till the date of audit (February, 2015) even after a lapse of almost     three years, neither utilization certificate nor physical/financial progress report was submitted by MGCC.
Thus, according to the audit team, the expenditure of Rs 75 lakh remained doubtful. The audit also could not ascertain whether the amount of Rs.75 lakh released was from Special Plan Assistance (SPA) or Special Central Assistance (SCA).