Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday said that the Punjab Government has decided to conduct biannual internal performance audit of funds disbursed for villages and wards in the State.
Concluding the ongoing series of swearing-in ceremonies here by administering oath of office to 821 Sarpanches and 4,560 Panches, Sukhbir said that it has been decided to conduct internal performance audit of every single penny being spent by Panchayats and Municipal Corporations, Nagar Councils, Block Samitis and Zila Parishads to maintain transparency and accountability.
He said that the administrative and technical functioning in this regards has been completed and it has made mandatory to complete this exercise in honest manner besides getting proper utilisations of funds disbursed for development purposes. Badal said that this initiative would be totally different from regular audit being conducted by the Comptroller & Auditor General of India and Punjab will engage top independent audit agencies for this purpose.
He said that he has already ordered Finance Department to finalise the comprehensive policy in-consultation with other concerned departments so that this independent audit could be started by the end of this year.
Giving details of audit, Badal said that as per the development plan of State Government, there would be Rs 24000 crore expended on overall development of over 13000 villages, so it should be mandatory to conduct independent audit of such huge money for proper utilisation of funds. Under this project, 100 per cent sewerage and supply of potable water for rural population, construction of concrete roads, setting up of sewerage treatment plants, repairing, widening and construction of major and links roads, installation of RO systems, refurbishing of village schools, community centers, construction of public toilets besides distribution of sports kits and setting up of gyms to give a healthy directions to our youth will be done.
Asking Sarpanches and Panches of Punjab to come with the proposals regarding pending development in their respective areas, Badal said that he has directed Rural Development and Panchayats Department to send the list of proposed development projects in villages to him so that he can approve the projects soon. He also exhorted the elected representatives not to throw-away their energy in petty and party politics and do fight and work for the cause of people, their villages and State.
Giving details about the expansion of ongoing welfare schemes and development projects, he said that Punjab is doubling the number of beneficiaries of Atta Daal scheme from 15 lakh families to 30 lakh families besides launching of Scholarship scheme for meritorious students of Rs 30000, employability allowance of Rs 1000 to unemployed graduate youth, Rs 30,000 cashless insurance to all 30 lakh Atta Daal families.
He said that state would also provide a health cover to all citizens of Punjab and Special Insurance Cards would be provided to both the beneficiaries of Rs 30000 insurance scheme and general insurance beneficiaries.