Bhubaneswar: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has unearthed massive financial irregularities, suspected misappropriation, and shocking lapses in the execution of key welfare and development programmes in Odisha.  

According to a CAG report presented before the Odisha Assembly on Wednesday, a compliance audit of 11 sample Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDAs) out of the total 22 ITDAs revealed glaring misuse of public funds during the financial years from 2018-19 to 2022- 23.

“Engineers entrusted with execution of works had personal bank accounts through which Rs 148.75 crore of project funds were routed. Audit detected personal transactions like ATM withdrawals, UPI transfers, mobile recharges, and even insurance premium payments from these accounts, raising strong suspicion of misappropriation,” observed the CAG.

The financial watchdog further found during scrutiny that Rs 3.38 crore excess expenditure has been made without any vouchers, and payments of Rs 3.23 crore without invoices.

“Shockingly, invoices worth 22.78 crore carried irregularities such as missing dates, duplicate numbers, or belonging to unregistered entities. In a brazen violation, ITDA Paralakhemundi procured musical instruments and costumes worth Rs 3.74 crore against an approved outlay of just Rs 73.60 lakh—an excess of more than five times the sanctioned amount,” pointed out the CAG.

The audit report also pointed out towards poor spending efficacy of the ITDAs who could manage to spend only Rs 1,190.44 crore out of the total available funds of Rs 1,709.47 crore, leaving an unspent balance of Rs 519.03 crore (30 per cent) during the period 2018-23.

This apart, the CAG also found glaring irregularities in the implementation of flagship programmes such as Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Buxi Jagabandhu Assured Drinking Water to all Habitation (BASUDHA), Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA).

“The audit of Odisha’s urban water supply schemes under AMRUT and BASUDHA revealed that despite spending Rs 2,808.27 crore, many projects remain incomplete and large swathes of the state continue to face drinking water woes,” asserted the CAG.

It claimed that water supplied in several towns of Odisha fell well below the mandated 135 litres per person per day, with testing showing 16 water quality parameters -- including E-coli and turbidity -- exceeding permissible limits.

“A Rs 9.79 crore renovated water treatment plant in Burla was found supplying turbid water after new systems mixed with sludge from an old clarifier. Adding to the mess, solar-powered water projects worth Rs 1.74 crore installed in Berhampur in 2020 were found defunct within three years due to lack of maintenance,” observed CAG.

(IANS)