Nutrition funds for poor kids diverted in Punjab from 2014 to 2017

Tribune News Service

Karam Prakash

Patiala, August 19

Officials of the Department of Social Security and Women & Child Development allegedly diverted funds of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), meant for nutritional diet of poor children at anganwadi centres.

In a special audit of five districts from 2014 to 2017, the Accountant General (Audit) revealed that funds worth crores were diverted to purchase low-quality food containers at inflated rates. The five districts where the funds of the Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) were diverted are Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar and SBS Nagar.

The SNP is aimed at providing diet to children below six years of age and pregnant and lactating mothers to improve their health and nutritional status. The scheme is implemented through a network of anganwadi workers under the ICDS. The audit report revealed that a scrutiny of records of the five districts revealed that the department purchased food storage containers from SNP funds in violation of the guidelines. Containers were purchased in nine districts from SNP funds. However, the AG audited only five districts because the expenditure incurred in these districts was the highest among the nine.

Asked about any action in the matter, Arvind Pal Sandhu, Director, Department of Social Security and Women & Child Development, said, “Senior officials are looking into the matter. This is a departmental issue.”

Meanwhile, Kirpa Shankar Saroj, who has been given the additional charge of Principal Secretary of the department, said he would look into the matter.

The audit noticed that the five selected districts spent Rs 807.22 lakh on a purchase order of 30,085 containers, each having a capacity of 100 kg. The rates of the containers were, however, different in different districts — ranging from Rs 2,980 to Rs 3,429.

The audit also observed that containers of almost a similar specification (90 to l 00 kg capacity) were purchased by other districts at low rates, even at Rs 814.

Had the purchases been made at a centralised place at the headquarters level, a tentative saving of Rs 707.22 lakh could have been made, the audit pointed out. The audit also pointed out that the food grain storage capacity of each container was to be of 100 kg. However, the containers were of less storage capacity than promised in the tender. Moreover, the entry of hundreds of containers was not made in the stock register.

Glaring anomalies in 5 Punjab districts

• Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar & SBS Nagar
• Spent Rs 807.22L on purchase order of 30,085 containers
• Container rates varied in districts, ranging from Rs 2,980 to Rs 3,429
• Other districts bought these at lesser rates, as low as Rs 814

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