Date:01/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/01/stories/2009010157980300.htm

Karnataka - Mangalore

ZP for inquiry into attempt to misuse funds

Staff Correspondent

Rs. 4.67 lakh released to an institution that does not exist

—Photo: R. Eswarraj

Making a point: B. Ramanath Rai, MLA for Bantwal, raising a query at the general body meeting of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat in Mangalore on Wednesday.

MANGALORE: The Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat, at its meeting on Wednesday, adopted a resolution to seek an inquiry into the alleged attempt by two senior officials to pay Rs. 4.67 lakh to a non-existent institution.

Officials of two departments here allegedly tried to release funds to an institution to start hostels for physically challenged women and students in Dakshina Kannada.

The decision follows a recommendation made by the former zilla panchayat chief executive officer, A.M. Kunjappa, to the Secretary of the Department of Women and Child Welfare to conduct an inquiry in this regard. The report on his recommendation was tabled in the House.

In his June 24, 2008 report, Mr. Kunjappa said that attempts were made to hand over the cheque to Mahatma Gandhi Education Institution, Mangalore, which did not exist. The cheque was prepared on March 19, 2008, after drawing the amount from the district treasury.

The officer found the involvement of the then Deputy Director of the Department of Women and Child Welfare, and the Welfare Officer of the Department for Welfare of Disabled and Senior Citizens in the case. The report said that the two officials did not check if the institute existed in the district.

It said that Ganesha Seva Trust for Exceptional Persons had submitted a proposal to start such hostels. The panchayat had sent this proposal to the Director of the Department of Women and Child Welfare through the Deputy Commissioner. However, the department did not consider this proposal and instead sanctioned the work to “an organisation which does not exist in Dakshina Kannada” through an order on October 10, 2007.

Members pulled up the district administration for lack of facilities at “nemmadi kendras” in the district. They said that people had to stand in queue for hours to get photographed to get ration cards. All such centres had one computer each, there were no generators, and some functioned in small rooms. Many members suggested that the Government close down these centres. S. A. Prabhakar Sharma, Headquarters Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner, said the district administration was aware of the problems and had brought the issue to the Government’s notice.