The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Rape crisis cell to mobile helpline: Audit red-flags work done by DCW
COMMISSION SAYS CAG EXCEEDING ITS BRIEF
AN AUDIT by the Principal Accountant General (Audit), Delhi, has highlighted several alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) — from implementation of projects to appointments, salary hikes to various procurements.
The audit had been ordered by the Comptroller and Auditor General. When contacted, the DCW said it had received intimation on January 21 that a CAG audit would be conducted, and it replied on January 24 that such an audit would amount to the CAG exceeding its brief.
The commission said the inspection was conducted “within days”, and the DCW responded to the report “soon after”.
In the inspection report, the auditor alleged that the commission does not have the mandate to execute and implement plans and schemes on its own. The DCW, in a letter to the CAG, refuted this, saying: “The presumption of the audit party that DCW is not empowered to run programmes is without any merit; the commission derives its mandate from the DCW Act itself.”
The audit report also alleged that the DCW has been running many of its programmes — such as Mahila Panchayat, Rape Crisis Cell, Mobile Helpline, etc — with public money, but has involved private players without following the proper tendering process. The report also alleged that the Rape Crisis Cell tried to “substitute the established practice” by giving assistance to rape victims when there is already a machinery in placetodealwithsuchcases—for example, the police providing a lawyer to the rape victim.
The DCW, however, responded that the Rape Crisis Cell and Crisis Intervention Centre were founded on the orders of the Delhi High Court. It added that the 181 helpline service for women has been transferred to it by the Delhi government.
The Rape Crisis Cell’s choice of organisation to provide advocates to the victims also came under the auditor’s scanner. According to the auditor, a bid made by the NGO that was eventually chosen was the fourth lowest among the five that were considered. The DCW clarified that the selection was not done through a “bidding process”. It said it had a set criteria for selection, which included “credibility” of the organisation, “work done in past” and “reputation”.
The audit also alleged that the DCW hiked remunerations of lawyers it hired in an irregular manner. But the commission replied that it has “complete financial independence and requires no government approval”.
The audit said the DCW has to place its accounts before the Legislative Assembly, and get them certified by Delhi government auditors, which it has never done. The DCW replied, “Every year, besides the balance sheet and the audit report, a copy of the annual report is also sent to the Department of Women and Child Development, which is supposed to lay it before the Legislative Assembly.”
The audit also pointed to “award of work of value Rs 2.65 crore by choice” for DCW’S Mobile Helpline Service.
It alleged that on January 21, 2016, “the DCW decided to increase the number of vans from five to 23” without “justification”. It further said that “reasons for increase in numbers of counsellors and drivers from 15 to 66 and the basis for fixing of these charges (their salaries) were not found on records”.
DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal said, “We are a body that is supposed to question government, we cannot be in a position where we have to knock on the doors of government every time we have to make a purchase. When I took over, there were not enough vehicles to serve women in the city. We purchased several vehicles; we need them purely because our work has increased exponentially.”
“All this talk about our not taking approval from the proper authorities, let me assure you, when it comes to DCW, we are the proper authority," she added.