Imphal, February 26: From financial bungling to fraudulent withdrawal of funds and bills and over expenditure, the 2006-07 report of the Comptroller and Auditor General which was presented in the Assembly today nailed the Government on many points.

Briefing newsmen today, the Accountant General of Manipur Rajbir Singh said that there was an excess expenditure of Rs 282.79 crores in 13 Grants which requires regularisation under Article 205 of the Constitution.

Giving details of other financial bunglings, the CAG report said that pensionary benefits amounting to Rs 92.31 lakh was found fraudulently withdrawn during 2004-07 in the Thoubal Treasury.

The CAG also reported that Rs 10.45 lakh was withdrawn fraudulently from the accounts of four subscribers from their General Provident Fund.

This came to light after three selection grade Lecturers of Lilong Haoreibi College put in a complaint that their GPF accounts have been withdrawn on the sly for the year 2005-06. Scrutiny of records showed that Rs 10.45 lakhs have been fraudulently withdrawn on the basis of a sanction order purportedly issued by the Higher Education Department, said the CAG report.

The CAG further reported that a sum of Rs 1.51 crore was spent on procuring 503 cows meant for distribution to beneficiaries of the Minorities and Other Backward Classes.

In the absence of any record pertaining to the receipt and distribution of the cows, the expenditure could not be vouchsafed in the Audit, said the CAG.

The report said that a check conducted on the records of the Directorate of Minorities and Other Backward Classes in February 2007 revealed that 100 percent advance was paid between March and November to Manipur Livestock Development Board for the purchase of 503 cows.

The payment was made on the basis of proforma bills obtained from the Board and the supply of the cows was to be completed within three months time.

However there is no evidence that any cow has been received by the Directorate, said the CAG.

The Directorate on the other hand reported in February 2007 that all the 277 cows pertaining to the year 2004-05 had been received but the cows were given to VIPs instead of the intended beneficiaries.

The Directorate also stated that in February 2007, against 226 cows for which order was placed in 2005-06, 43 cows had not been received.

Therefore the procurement of 503 cows at a cost of Rs 1.51 crores intended for legitimate beneficiaries appears to be fraudulent, said the CAG.

Apart from this the IFCD had also released a sum of Rs 32.9 lakhs to a contractor on the basis of fictitious measurements.

Elaborating, the CAG report said that the fictitious measurement was in connection with improving the right side main canal of Khuga Dam from 5740 metres to 6115 metres.

Many of the laid procedures for the work were violated, the CAG report contended.

A contractor was given the benefit of a sum of Rs 1.93 crore by allowing a lead of 17 kms for earth quarry being, while the earth was actually transported from a distance of 1-2 kms.

This case was detected in the Public Works Department, said the report and added that there is strong suspicion of fraudulent billing on transportation.

The CAG report also said that there is a strong suspicion of fraudulent billing on road construction in the Works Department.

Inflating the quantum of work executed over the capacity of the machinery used, the Department had billed Rs 23.07 lakhs in excess of the quantity of work possible.

The work relates to the contract given under the Improvement of Thangmeiband Road in March 2005. The CAG report again nailed the Works Dept reporting that Rs 27.06 lakhs were paid to two contractors before the execution of the work by the EE, Ukhrul division.

Detailing the case, the CAG report that a contractor was awarded the contract work for 'Improvement of Tolloi Chingmei Khullen road at the estimated cost of Rs 86.78 lakhs on Dec 27, 2005. After 3 days of awarding the contract work, the contractor was paid Rs 10.4 lakhs.

Another Rs 16.66 lakhs was paid to another contractor by the same EE for the 'Improvement of DC office/Mini Secretariat) on Dec 30, 2005.

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