DIMAPUR, March 29 � The CAG reports tabled in the Nagaland Assembly recently show major anomalies in several government departments in the State.
Accountant General (Audit) Nagaland AP Chophy said major anomalies were found in Health, PHE, Technical Education, Urban Development, Power, Irrigation, PWD, Home (Police), Finance (Taxation), Transport and Rural Development departments and in government public sector undertakings like Nagaland State Mineral Development Corporation Limited.
According to the CAG report, as per population criteria, the State should have 99 PHCs, whereas there were 126 PHCs resulting in excess of 28 PHCs.
The report revealed that out of the 28 excess PHCs, 16 (57 per cent) were created in Phek district alone without observing population criteria. However, the department stated in October 2014 that the excess PHCs were constructed in Phek district as per the notifications issued by the Government of Nagaland.
Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) launched by the Government of India in 1999 aimed at providing sanitation to all rural communities by 2012 (now extended to 2017) and renamed as Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) in 2012. The audit report stated that there was shortfall in release of matching share amounting to Rs 9.12 crore during 2009-14 from the State Government.
Technical Education department incurred an unfruitful expenditure of Rs 99.87 lakh due to non-incorporation of specific clause in the agreement for obtaining bank guarantee against advance payments and clauses on penal action for failure in execution of the works. Besides, the objective of setting up Pilot Training Academy in Nagaland was also a failure.
The CAG report stated that there was fictitious procurement by the Block Development Officer-cum-Programme Officer, MGNREGA, Phomching Block, who misutilised Rs 5.49 crore meant for procurement of stone boulder and chips by producing fabricated records showing non-existent stone industries.
In the Urban Development department, advisor in-charge of revenue, Dimapur Municipal Council, failed to remit toll amounting to Rs 78.83 lakh collected from consignees against goods transported through Railway wagons during 2011-12, the report said.
The Department of Power, a deemed licensee under section 14 of the Electricity Act, 2003, was carrying on the activities of generation, transmission, distribution and retail supply of electricity in the State.
The CAG report stated that the department could complete only five out of 15 major projects proposed for execution under the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12) as of September 2014.
The department allowed exorbitantly high margin of upto 763 per cent to the suppliers in respect of eight works executed during 2009-14 which led to unjustified escalation of project costs by Rs 21.02 crore.
The report revealed that the department failed to maintain effective discipline in drawal of energy as per the approved schedule causing avoidable financial burden of Rs 101.46 crore in five years on account of Unscheduled Interchange (UI) charges.
The Department had also sustained energy loss of 1257.30 MUs (valued at Rs 502.12 crore) during five years due to its failure in restricting the Aggregate Technical & Commercial (AT&C) losses within the CEA norms.
The PWD (Housing) department incurred an avoidable expenditure of Rs 9.51 crore due to delay in handing over the project site. The department also made excess payment of Rs 3.88 crore to the contractor towards enhancement of rate for newly incorporated items of works not approved by the government, the CAG report said.
It said Director of Land Records and Survey drew Rs 1.24 crore meant for implementation of National Land Records Modernisation Programme on the basis of forged Actual Payee Receipts in the name of three District Land Records and Survey Officers.
The CAG report said Nagaland State Mineral Development Corporation Limited incurred an expenditure of Rs 22.75 crore on execution of works not included in the approved DPR. Besides, the Corporation also paid Rs 6.14 crore against unexecuted items of work.
Two motor vehicle dealers of Nagaland concealed taxable turnover amounting to Rs 35.24 crore and evaded tax of Rs 4.58 crore during 2010-13 under Finance (Taxation) department. Interest amounting to Rs 2.65 crore was also leviable on the amount of tax evaded by them, the CAG report said.
Chopy added that replies were not received from the Secretaries of the departments concerned in respect of seven audit paragraphs.
