CAG report shows massive financial irregularities in DU
NEW DELHI: An RTI query has revealed that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had earlier this year assessed several financial and administrative irregularities in Delhi University's alleged "adventurous expenditure", which had raised several eyebrows.
The report on the accounts of University for the year 2014-16, titled 'Inspection Report on the Accounts of University of Delhi for the year 2014-16', was compiled by the Director General of Audit (Central Expenditure).
It includes over 20 outstanding paragraphs that highlight irregularities in appointments, University bus ferry service, income tax, land acquisition, creating unconstitutional posts etc, worth crores of rupees.
The RTI query, regarding expenditure in DU and Jawaharlal Nehru University, was filed by law student Neeraj (name changed) through advocate Mohit K Gupta in July this year, to get certified copies of the findings and recommendations of the Director General of Audit (Central Expenditure).
One section of the report highlights that in the name of purchasing Apple computers for routine work in South Campus, unauthorised and unnecessary expenditure to the tune of Rs 24.95 lakh took place. The audit also revealed that the tender document was amended to consider the bid without buyback offer from one Ms/ Esteem Technologies.
The University Press, a commercially independent unit, was disabled financially by all its departments which did not pay it the expenses for years totalling Rs 1.30 crores, with equipment worth Rs 36 lakhs lying idle.
Within the Faculty of Law, substantial loss of Rs 1.40 crores was seen in outsourcing of printing works.
The University again caused loss of Rs 3.52 crore by parallel running feeder buses along with campus bus ferry services, for which the audit found no basis of feasibility studies and financial estimates. Neeraj said that in blatant violation of General Financial Rules 159, the audit showed that the University made advance payments to the tune of Rs 152 crore to suppliers, which could have been spread over in instalments. The practice, however, is still being continued.
Meanwhile, in the examination branch, unadjusted outstanding contingent advance amounting to Rs 35 crore were seen.
The university also caused a shock loss through payment of unnecessary electricity tax of Rs 1.33 crore.
"The University officials are public servants and thus any breach of trust reposed by lakhs of students and crores of citizens must be severely handled," Gupta said.