Punjabi University Finances: CAG probes existence, activities of private firms

Ravneet Singh

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Patiala, February 26

The office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India is enquiring into the existence and activities of various private companies that provided contractual employees to Punjabi University in the past many years but have failed to pay GST to the government. The office has estimated lapses to the tune of Rs 6 crore since the financial year 2017-18 and paid two visits to the university campus.

Officials on the campus privy to the matter said questions have already been raised on the legitimacy and existence of the private companies that provided the contractual employees such as sweepers, cleanliness workers, security guards and peons to the university.

“The companies have failed to submit the requisite tax amount since the financial year 2017-18. It is anticipated that they were ghost companies and were being operated from the campus,” an official said. Officials added that the companies were hired by seeking quotations and continued their services till December 2021 after which the university did away with the process of hiring contractual workers.

A senior administrative official said the CAG office had earlier sent a notice to the Department of Higher Education and it was later received by the university six months ago. “The team has paid two visits to the campus already. They came and collected various documents, including copies of agreements, quotations and others,” the official said.

Finance officer Prof Parmod Aggarwal said, “A three-member team had paid a visit to the campus regarding the standing matter recently. We provided them with the requisite documents.”