SHILLONG: The Public Accounts Committee of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly on Monday summoned the department of PWD and border area development to seek explanation about the irregularities pointed out in the audits of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (Shillong) in its report tabled in the Assembly.
Charles Pyngrope, the chairman of the committee said the meeting was called to address the observations of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India given that there is a backlog of almost 350 audit paragraphs which needed to be addressed from 2008-09 to 2016-17. He said the department was summoned for a satisfactory answer to the irregularities and objections raised by the CAG audits.
The public accounts committee also highlighted the failure of the department to complete the bridge over river Umiam at Shella even after six years of the stipulated date of completion.
“The department was also pulled up for making an extra expenditure of Rs 85.89 lakh to construct a bridge over the Phodsala river in the Mawkyrwat area without actual requirement for the first KJP Synod Sepngi annual meeting,” Pyngrope said.
He further said that the department extended undue financial benefit of Rs 2.21 crore by allowing a higher rate to the contractors for excavation of hard rocks in the execution of work on two roads without using explosives.
“Injurious approval of the border area development department to recommend funding of Rs 1.39 crore to set up a fish seed production farm and multipurpose development project on a privately owned plot and inordinate delay in its completion exposed the project to the risk of cost overrun and rendered the expenditure of Rs 49.23 lakh incurred so far unfruitful,” Pyngrope added.
“It was done under a society,” the PAC chairman said adding, “When the first disbursement was made, the society was not registered; they have complied now and registered it.”
It may be mentioned that the 350-paragraph CAG report assessment was made from 2008-09 to 2016-17 and the Public Accounts Committee had to dig the files and clean the dust to find out irregularities mentioned in the report.
Giving its suggestion, the PAC stated that all details must be put in place before allotting any work to any contractor or requirements under the law should be adhered to, thereby eliminating any possibility of cost overrun and transaction which may not confirm to the rules laid down by the government.
Member of PAC H M Shangpliang said that he will conduct spot visit on June 26 to understand the ground reality regarding the construction of roads and bridges in the border areas.
