Houses of Punjab, Haryana ministers owe licence fee of Rs 4.42 crore to UT

Besides collection and maintenance of licence fee account of government building occupied by various departments and non-residential buildings, all such dues are deposited in the government account in the UT treasury. Further, in case of vacation of accommodation, no demand certificate is issued by this department.

During the scrutiny of the records of this office by the audit department, the latter observed that an outstanding licence fee of Rs 4.42 crore in respect of houses occupied by ministers and deputy ministers of Punjab and Haryana was pending.

As per provisions of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, licence fee at the rate fixed from time to time is recoverable in respect of houses allotted from UT pool accommodation to the ministers of Punjab and Haryana.

The audit in its report specified, “During test check of the records maintained in the office of the Assistant Controller (F&A) Rents, UT, Chandigarh for the year 2021-23, it was observed that houses/bungalows were allotted in different sectors of Chandigarh to ministers and deputy ministers of Punjab and Haryana states.”

The report further added, “It was observed that licence fee and interest amounting to Rs 4,42,61,332 was recoverable from these states up to March 31,2023.”

While houses of ministers and deputy ministers of Punjab government owed Rs 1,76,30,522, the houses of ministers and deputy ministers of Haryana government owed Rs 2,66,30,810, as per the records.

The report also specified that on being pointed out, the department concerned replied that the matter is under active consideration and being taken up with the governments of Punjab and Haryana regularly. Compliance will be intimated in due course. However, the compliance is awaited, it was stated.

Non-recovery from unauthorised occupants

At the same time, the audit also observed that there was non-recovery of licence fee from unauthorised occupants to the tune of Rs 1.37 crore.

The Chandigarh Allotment Rules 1966 inter alia provide that the government employee to whom the allotment has been made, such government servant shall be liable to pay charges for use and occupation of residence as per applicable rates of licence fee. It is the duty of office of the Assistant Controller (F&A) Rents, UT, Chandigarh to watch the recovery of licence fee made as per applicable rates and to ensure that no excess or short recovery of licence fee has been made.

However, the audit team, during the test check of records maintained by the office of the Assistant Controller (F&A) Rents, for the year 2021-23, stated that licence fee from 20 unauthorised occupants was outstanding as of March 31, 2023.

And this had resulted in non-recovery of licence fee amounting to Rs 1,37,98,560, including interest, from the unauthorised occupants, the report said.

Here too, on being pointed out, the department replied that continuous efforts are being made to recover the amount and that compliance will be intimated in due course as the compliance in this case is also awaited.