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| Undue benefits given to suppliers, works allotted to ineligible contractors | | JKEDA causes loss of Rs 117.81 lakhs to state exchequer | | Peerzada Ummer
ET Report
SRINAGAR, May 20: Embezzlement of funds worth crores of rupees has surfaced in Science and Technology Department with the reports suggesting that undue benefits were extended to the suppliers and projects were allotted to ineligible contractors.
The documents in possession of Early Times reveal that the contract for making solar home lighting system and solar lanterns was given to a private firm by Science and Technology Department Jammu and Kashmir at the cost of Rs. 11.24 crore on October 23, 2009. Reports informed that the rules envisaged by the agency reveal that the cheques valuing above Rs. 10 thousand upto one crore are to be signed jointly by the Accounts Officer and CEO and beyond Rs one crore by the CEO and the Commissioner Secretary of the department. Ironically, the supply order of 114 crore to the firm was split into 14 different supply orders which were amounting to below one crore each. This was done to evade the signature of the Competent Authority.
Reports informed that when the issue was submitted before the then Information Technology Minister, he ordered the cancellation of the supply orders. But throwing rules to the wind, the supply orders were not cancelled and the agency went ahead with the procurement.
Moreover, the said agency placed the supply orders in October 2009 for the solar home lighting systems at a rate of Rs 12,978 that too just before the lapse of the rate contract valid for the period of November 2008 to October 2009.
Early Times has learnt that no clause relating to the price fall was incorporated in the terms and conditions while placing the supply orders.
Reports informed that the Directorate of Quality Assurance, Department of Commerce, GOI indicated that there were as many as five thousand solar home lighting systems supplied by a firm at a cost of Rs 5.44 crore were not as per technical specification envisaged in the NIT, as apart from using Chinese solar cells, the charge retention was not covered under IS: 13,369. Reports revealed that even after findings such open violations of the norms, no action was taken against the firm in the light of inspection report and accepted the supply of systems.
The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) also mentions that Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JKEDA) which functions under the direct control of the department of Science and Technology, Jammu and Kashmir had various lacunae in the procurement process led to financial loss of Rs 117.81 lakhs to the public exchequer, undue benefit to suppliers and allotment of projects to ineligible contractors.
Now when after almost 6 years, the scam comes to fore, it remains to be seen how the past errors are rectified with the earnest to desire to ensure betterment in the system.
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