CAG report
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 01 2015 : Imphal Municipal Council and Lilong Nagar Panchayat have incurred an expenditure of Rs 158.22 lakh out of Swarna Jayanti Sahari Rozger Yojana (SJSRY) fund for payment of wages to sweepers against the scheme's guidelines, observed CAG in its Annual Technical Inspection Report on Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) for the year ended March 31, 2014 which was tabled in the State Assembly today.

Model Accounting System for PRIs prescribed by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India in consultation with the CAG of India was not adopted added the report.

It was noticed that the four test-checked Zilla Parishads (Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal and Bishnupur) and 21 Gram Panchayats did not prepare Budget proposal containing detailed estimates of receipts and disbursements for the ensuing year, the report said.

Against sanctioned post of 161 Panchayat Secretaries (one for each Gram Panchayat), there were only 88 Panchayat Secretaries as of March 2014 .

District Planning Committees were constituted in four valley districts viz, Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal and Bishnupur to consolidate the plans prepared by the Panchayats and Municipalities in the district and prepare a draft development plan for the district as a whole.

However, they were not made functional as of March 2014, the report said.

Release of funds by the State Government to the PRIs during 2009-14 was lower than recommended by the Second State Finance Commission ranging from 27 to 12 per cent.

There is a suspected misappropriation of Compensation and Assignment funds to the tune of Rs 17.47 lakh in Thoubal ZP, the CAG report said.

Thoubal ZP and seven GPs (Irengbam, Ishok, Kangla, Keinou, Pukhao, Sanjenbam Pukhrambam and Utlou) diverted XIII Finance Commission grants of Rs 31.75 lakh on inadmissible items of works like construction of bath room, crematorium, Panchayat building etc.

Test check of 10 ULBs noticed that the ULBs neither prepared their Budgets (containing detailed estimates of receipts and disbursement for the ensuing year) nor maintained their accounts in the format as prescribed in the National Municipal Accounts Manual (NMAM).

Release of funds by the State Government to the ULBs during 2009-14 was lower than recommended by the Second State Finance Commission ranging from 9 to 100 per cent.

Possible misappropriation of Rs 19.75 lakh in procuring Tubular Steel in works under State Finance Commission Award by Lilong (Thoubal) Nagar Panchayat could not be ruled out due to inconsistency in nature of procurement and lack of documentary evidence, the report said.

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