The Hindu : Audit report raps corporation for delaying public works

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 13, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Audit report raps corporation for delaying public works

By N.J. Nair

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, FEB. 12. The City Corporation has caused inordinate delay in starting public works after depositing huge amounts as advance with various Government agencies under the People's Plan Campaign, according to the Local Fund Audit report submitted to the Government.

The report says that during the period between 1997-1998 and 2001-2002, the corporation had drawn up 124 public works under the People's Plan Campaign and deposited Rs.61.66 lakhs as advance to execute the works.

The authorities concerned failed to take any follow-up action to start the works on time and the Plan funds were left idle. But for starting revenue recovery proceedings after July 2003, no other serious action has been taken by the corporation to recoup the amount deposited as advance.

The inordinate delay in starting the public works after depositing huge amounts as advance had dampened the spirit of the Plan Campaign. Except Thiruvananthapuram, no other corporation in the State had done things so sloppily, according to the report.

Also, lapses have been detected in the preparation of the annual accounts of the corporation. The services of 25 persons retired from the corporation were enlisted to prepare the daily cash book and annual accounts between 1994-1995 and 1999-2000. The corporation had decided to pay Rs.140 each per day for six years and this has cost the corporation Rs.15 lakhs. The report says that despite spending such a huge amount they could prepare only the accounts of three years till October 31, 2002.

According to Government rules, the corporation can spend only Rs.40,000 a year for preparing the daily cash book and accounts. However, the corporation had spent Rs.2.12 lakhs more annually than the rate fixed by the Government for preparing the accounts. After spending such a huge amount, the corporation could not complete even half of pending accounts.

Moreover, the auditors have detected a lot of errors in the accounts that have been prepared.

The corporation is bound to collect professional tax even from temporary staff.

After auditing the accounts of 2000-2001, the auditors found that professional tax has not been levied from the temporary staff employed by the corporation.

The auditors have directed to recoup the loss on this score with penal interest from the employees or from the officials who were responsible for collecting the tax.

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