Unfruitful expenditure cost J&K Rs17.18 cr: CAG

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 24

The Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG), in its report submitted in the Parliament today, has noted that the J&K government has made several “unfruitful expenditure” under different heads, including running of a solar plant, water storage tank and lift-irrigation scheme, etc.

The report stated, “Non-settlement of payment of Works Contract Tax with the State Taxes Department rendered 128 solar power plants installed at police establishments non-functional since September 2014 despite spending Rs 9.7 crore between May 2014 and January 2015 and availability of maintenance-free warranty.”

In case of water storage tanks, the Comptroller & Auditor General said the J&K government incurred wasteful expenditure, as the Irrigation and Flood Control Department took up the execution of work without acquiring the private land and seeking prior clearance from the Forest Department and Defence Authority, resulting in wasteful expenditure of Rs 3.67 crore.

The CAG further said the J&K government made “unfruitful expenditure” on lift-irrigation scheme, because it did not select a suitable site for construction of pumping station before taking up execution of the works and lost Rs 2.23 crore.

The J&K government lost money due to payment of “unauthorised” idle salary in power development department because its failure “to either transfer drivers/chauffeurs deployed in excess of sanctioned strength or utilise their services effectively”, the CAG said. It went on to add that this resulted in “unauthorised payment of idle salary of Rs 79.46 lakh to them during the period from March 2015 to January 2019.

The CAG said the failure of Public Health Engineering Department to make the augmentation of water supply scheme functional for seven years, resulted in unfruitful expenditure of Rs78.28 lakh and blocking of Rs39 lakh.