In what can turn out to be a matter of serious embarrassment for the State Government, Comptroller and Auditor General has questioned the disbursement of money under the Chief Minister’s discretionary fund by the State Government. A fund of Rs2.53 crore were disbursed among ineligible persons and institutions, according to CAG.
CAG has made adverse comments on anomalies involving several State departments. It said that the Chief Minister had disbursed Rs2.53 crore among people between 2009-10 and 2013-14 who were not eligible as per the CMDF rule-2000. Although Chief Minister’s office had replied that all the sanctions had been made by the CM himself, CAG has rejected the contention.
CAG said that the building of the Government college Rishikesh despite being given Rs25 lakh had remained incomplete.
Same was the case with the Government PG College Rudrapur to which CMO had released Rs4.08 crore. Now, the building is in a dilapidated state, CAG said.
Similarly, the Government medical college and hospital at Haldwani was allocated Rs58.62 lakh for the procurement of MRI machine. But the tool is lying unused.
State Government had procured equipments worth Rs46.40 lakh for Almora base hospital in 2006. But it is rusting being unused, according to CAG. Two medical equipments worth Rs14.12 lakh are also lying unused due to technical manpower crunch.
Referring to the Resham (silk) department, CAG said despite being given Rs2.67 crore to boost silk industry, there is no improvement regarding silk production.
CAG also found that the financial assistance of Rs18.25 crore given to 365 women under Nanda Devi Kanya Dhan Yojna between 2011 and 2014 were fake disbursement.
Things are unsatisfactory regarding promotion of institutional delivery under the guidance of trained Assistant Nursing Midwife (ANM) in government health centre or sub centres, CAG said.