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| Scandal-hit JKEDA drains state exchequer | | | Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Oct 11: The J&K Energy Development Agency (JKEDA) has utterly failed to come up to the expectations of public in general and government in particular.
Sources within the agency revealed that the JKEDA is caught in many scandals which are under investigation of the Vigilance Organization. "The JKEDA was assigned for developing and deploying new and renewable energy for supplementing the energy requirements of the people of J&K. But so far it has failed to do so. One can judge the malfunctioning of the department from the fact that JKEDA has placed supply orders to the agencies which have defaulted in the terms. Surprisingly these suppliers have enjoyed the benefits of repeated orders," one of the insiders insisting not to be named told Early Times.
Sources said over the years the agency had failed in survey of remote villages and in preparing the DPRs and lists of the beneficiaries. "At one time the agency received Rs 2.86 crore for the purpose from the GoI but the fund was utilized on unapproved items like purchase of vehicles, POL, traveling allowance, air fares, wages, repair of vehicles etc. The same was also pointed out by the CAG in its recent report," sources said.
The JKEDA is under the administrative control of Department of Science and Technology.
Sources said the government has failed to take action against the corrupt officials of the JKEDA. "Numerous scandals have surfaced in this department but unfortunately none of the guilty officers has been punished," sources maintained.
Certain orders which are in possession of Early Times indicate that deviations have taken place.
Sources said that most of the people of the state are ignorant about the working of JKEDA as no awareness programs were ever conducted by the department.
Sources said the officers at the helm of affairs take decisions not in accordance with the rules and the senior officers of the secretariat are also not taken on board.
"It is normal with the government departments that as and when the funds allocated are utilized, the utilization certificates are provided to the Planning Department for seeking more funds for the schemes. But the JKEDA has failed to provide the utilization certificates and as a result various schemes have either remained incomplete or not started as yet," sources said.
Sources said that the Planning Department and the Commissioner of the said department have time and again issued repeated reminders for providing the utilization certificates which run in crores, but the authorities in JKEDA do not submit such certificates.
Sources further stated that no review of functioning of the department has ever taken place as a result the officers within the organization have taken advantage of this for the pecuniary gains.
Source said that the CAG in its recent report has also pointed out various lacunas in its functioning.
The CAG report had revealed that agency had failed to distribute Solar Home Lighting System to 14,692 approved households and instead it distributed 12,366 SHLSs valuing Rs 13.45 crore in unapproved villages. The distribution of these SHLSs in electrified villages led to non-achievement of intended benefit of the schemes.
The report had also revealed that financial loss of Rs 17.81 lakh to the public exchequer, undue benefit to the suppliers and allotment of projects to the ineligible contractors.
As per report, the agency placed orders for the procurement of 6,872 solar home lighting systems and 4,355 solar lanterns at a cost of Rs 11.24 crore before obtaining the approval of the Principal Secretary of the Department. These were split into 14 supply orders below Rs 1 cr each to avoid signatures of the competent authority.
The orders of the then Minister of Science and Information Technology regarding cancellation of these supply orders were not carried out and further procurements were made under the very nose of the government, the report had said. |
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