Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) in the State has exposed massive financial irregularities in Madhya Pradesh MNREGS Council.
The audit report of the Council for the year 2011-12 which was made public on Wednesday by right to information activist Ajay Dubey, pointed out several serious lapses in financial allocations and expenditures of the Council.
The report points out that the council spent Rs 11 lakh in meetings during the year, but there were no records of the number and names of those who participated in the meetings.
It also states that allocation of budget towards incurring of administration expenses was not made by the council which is a ‘lapse of internal control for organization’. I
The report further points out that all the necessary documents were not made available by the council which severely limited the audit work.
The council has also spent a huge amount in purchase of stationary despite the fact that there was no provision made for it in the council’s budget.
Besides, the stock register of stationary was also not presented for audit preventing its verification. The audit report notes that the council has spent excessive amount on purchase of cartridges.
It also points out that the ledger was not updated at regular intervals and was incomplete. Such neglect raises obvious doubts about the authenticity of the entries made regarding various expense.
The report also points out irregularities in payment of rent for hired taxis. It notes that excess payments were made to one ‘Monika Firm’ for hired vehicles while the council had already given contract in this regard to a company called ‘Sam Firm’.
Referring to the audit reports, Ajay Dubey said that the council officials are pocketing huge sums in name of official trips while the rural poor of the State continues to suffer.
“When those sitting in Bhopal are themselves corrupt how they will prevent corruption in whole StateIJ If the State Government and the respective Minister have any integrity left they should immediately act against those responsible for financial irregularities here,” Dubey said.