Special team begins scrutiny of MCB records

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 17

To check the records of various developmental works undertaken during the SAD-BJP government, a three-member team from the Local Bodies Department, Chandigarh, today reached the office of the Municipal Corporation, Bathinda.

The team led by superintendent Jaspal Singh began their day by holding a meeting with Municipal Commissioner Sanyam Aggarwal.

Thereafter, the officials started inspecting and scrutinising the records of the MCB.

The team members reasoned that the Local Bodies Department was initiating a probe into the proper documentation and record of bills for the projects undertaken by the corporations.

In case any of the corporations are found to be lacking on that front, action will be taken against them by the department, they said.

Meanwhile, sources in the MCB claimed that the real motive of the inspection was to ascertain the embezzlement of funds in the name of development projects.

Sources said such a detailed inquiry into the records of all the branches of the corporation pointed to the government’s intention to unearth cases of fraud and scams.

On the first day, the team focused on checking the records of the building branch and general works branch of the MCB.

The team also sought records of the proposals sent by the MCB for the works undertaken during the SAD-BJP term in the state.

The team members collected information about the original proposals sent by the MCB, rectifications done at later stages, response given by the government, funds released and the utilisation of the funds.

The building branch officials were made to make available records of the maps submitted with the branch and the approvals which were granted.

The team also looked into the details of utilisation of grants, which were released by the former state government and the Central Government.

The account branch records were also checked to collect details about the revenue and expenditure of the MCB.

This is possibly the first time that a special team has been constituted to look into the records of the MCB.

Before this, such scrutiny was conducted by the Local Bodies Department through CAG or the Audit Department.

The team will continue to check the records of the MCB tomorrow as well and submit a report to the department by September 15.