CAG report tabled; pulls up govt for deficiencies
The comptroller and auditor general (CAG) has pulled up the Haryana government for deficiencies in implementation of the scheme for homes for widows and destitute women in the state.
The department, according to the audit report, failed to implement the scheme aimed at providing shelter, food and clothing, education and training to young widows and destitute women and their children.
Besides poor dissemination of the scheme and inadequate follow up, non-repair of buildings, poor occupancy of rooms, lack of training and education to such women to make them economically self-reliant have been cited as examples by the comptroller and auditor general to point out poor implementation.
The women and child development department runs three homes in Karnal, Rohtak and Faridabad.
In its report on “Social General and Economic Sectors” for the year ending on March 31, 2016, tabled in the Haryana assembly on Monday, the CAG,
which checked records of the department and homes for the period between 2011 and 2016, said 87% of the expenditure incurred by the three homes was on pay and allowances of
staff and the balance 13% was spent the facilities in the last five years.
The occupancy of rooms was 60-70% in Karnal, 34- 41% in Rohtak and 28-49% in Farida-
bad. In the Karnal Mahila Ashram, 31 rooms in one block have been lying vacant since 1999.
Also, five inmates were living in some portions (barrack B, E, F and H), against the capacity of 48 rooms in Rohtak Mahila Ashram at the time of test check in March 2016. Only 11 families were living in 12 rooms against the capacity of 39 rooms in Kasturba Sewa Sadan in Faridabad, the report said.
Also, the department did not conduct any survey to identify needy widows and destitute women in the districts. The total strength of occupants in all three homes was 97 in March 2016 and all belonged to only 10 out of 21 districts in the state.
The department explained that due to low occupancy, rooms were lying vacant and the scheme was uploaded on the departmental website for publicity and awareness. The audit team, though, was not convinced.
THE CAG SAYS 87% OF EXPENDITURE INCURRED BY THREE HOMES FOR WOMEN WAS ON PAY AND ALLOWANCES OF STAFF AND ONLY 13% WAS SPENT ON FACILITIES IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS