UT guest house puts 2 vehicles at disposal of Punjab Raj Bhawan, pays for their upkeep

Citing irregular payment on the repair/maintenance and fuel of vehicles amounting to Rs 27.10 lakh, the audit department pointed out that on November 14, 2011, the home department had allotted two vehicles received from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh, to the Director Hospitality, State Guest House, Chandigarh, for the protocol pool.

However, during test check of records of the office of Director Hospitality, State Guest House, Chandigarh Administration, for the period 2024-25, it was observed that these two vehicles were placed at the disposal of Punjab Raj Bhawan with effect from July 22, 2013.

Not just this, further scrutiny of records revealed that all expenditure relating to these vehicles on account of fuel, repairs and maintenance was incurred by the UT State Guest House, which was to be borne by the Punjab government as these vehicles were being used by the Punjab Raj Bhawan. “As such, the expenditure incurred by the UT Guest House was irregular and needs to be recovered from the Punjab government,” the report specified.

The vehicles bearing registration number CH01G1-3226 and CH01G1-3212 have been condemned and auctioned, and two new vehicles bearing registration number CH01-GB-0001 and CH01-GB-0002 have been provided on January 31, 20217, instead of the auctioned vehicles.

“Thus, total expenditure amounting to Rs 27.10 lakh has been incurred by the UT Guest House on the above vehicles up to 2024-25. As such, the expenditure incurred by the UT Guest House is irregular and needs to be recovered from the Punjab government. Further the same objection was pointed out in the previous one for the period up to 2023-24 was Rs 36.99 lakh,” it was specified.

On being pointed out, the Hospitality Department authorities have not furnished a reply.

Irregular payment amounting to Rs 87.08 lakh

As per Rule 66(1) of Government Accounting Rules, 1990, it provides that pay and allowances of a government servant should be classified in accounts as part of scheme, activity or organisation (sub-head) under a programme (minor head) below a function (major head) to which the services of the government servant closely relate. Where, however, the duties of a government servant extend to several activities, programmes, functions ete. and it is not possible to classify his pay and allowances under the appropriate sub-heads, the charges may be classified as part of the scheme or activity or organisation to which the major portion of the work of the government servant relates, the rule says.

During the test check of the records of the office of the Director Hospitality, UT State Guest House, under Chandigarh Administration, for the period 2024-25, it was noticed that two drivers, namely Jatinder Sharma and Santokh Singh, employees of Hospitality Department, UT Chandigarh, were deputed to Punjab Raj Bhawan with effect from July 22, 2013 vide Home Secretary, UT Chandigarh, orders dated August 21, 2013, and both drivers were drawing pay and allowances from the budget of UT Guest House against the rule ibid. and during the period 2016-17 to 2024-25, an amount of Rs 87.08 lakh has been paid to these two drivers from the budget of UT Guest House.

As per the report, the expenditure amounting to Rs 73.93 lakh has been updated from the Audit Inspection Report for the period 2016-17 to 2023-24 and thereafter Rs 13.15 lakh for the period 2024-25 has been incurred by the UT Guest House on the pay and allowances on above two drivers from the Budget of UT Guest House which is irregular and needs to be recovered from the Punjab government.