4 firms to conduct third-party audit of state civic bodies: Sidhu

LUDHIANA: Local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said on Saturday that four firms have been finalised for a third-party audit of municipal corporations across the state.

“To unearth irregularities, technical and social audit of municipal corporations will begin in the next 15 days. In the first phase, audits are likely to be conducted across civic bodies of Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Bathinda and Patiala,” he said. The proposals have been received from four firms of the country to conduct audit of the work done in last 10 years, he added.

Sidhu, who inspected the ongoing sewerage cleaning work on Raahon Road and near Books market in Ludhiana on Saturday, slammed the previous SAD-BJP government for allegedly failing to conduct a third-party audit of the civic bodies of the state in last 10 years.

“There has been no transparency in usage of funds during tenure of the former government. At present, 166 municipal corporations and municipal councils of the state are reeling under debt. We will start audit of the major corporations in the next 15 days while the audit of other municipal corporations and councils will be conducted later,” he said.

The minister also alleged: “Tube wells were purchased at ₹27 lakh per unit whereas a good quality tube well is available at ₹13 lakh in the market. Some tube wells are even lying defunct, but I have asked the officials concerned to take required steps. It is our aim to provide safe drinking water.”