CAG slams police for buying vehicles and not using them
In its report that was tabled in the Assembly on Wednesday,the CAG states the two troop carriers have been lying idle for the past three years as they were found unsuitable for use.
The latest report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has slammed the West Bengal Police and the state government for buying two troop carriers for anti-Maoist operation at a cost of over Rs 90 lakh “without considering their suitability”.
In its report that was tabled in the Assembly on Wednesday,the CAG states the two troop carriers have been lying idle for the past three years as they were found unsuitable for use. The West Bengal Police had made the procurement in 2009 “without considering their suitability resulting in the vehicles not being used in anti-terrorist operations for more than two years and consequent blockage of funds,” it stated.
The report also slammed the state Home Department for “ignoring the opinion of the district police authorities” while sanctioning the order. The Police Directorate had also expressed reservations about the suitability of the vehicle on account of high cost,inconclusive field trials and non-availability of technical certificate regarding the vehicle being mine-proof,the report said,and added: “Scrutiny of records of SP Paschim Medinipur (West Midnapore) revealed that the vehicle was not utilised for a single operation since its deployment as it did not have bomb blast proof technology and due to its low fuel economy and inability to move in narrow roads and forests due to its large size.”
The auditors also flayed the state government for making the purchase directly from Ural India Limited without calling for tenders.
‘PSU losses of R 6,000 crore could have been controlled’
Kolkata: Criticising the Public Sector Undertakings under the West Bengal government,the CAG has said that with better management of its resources,PSUs’ accumulated losses of more than Rs 6,000 crore could have been “controlled”. “The losses of PSUs are mainly attributable to deficiencies in financial management,planning,implementation of project,inefficient operation and monitoring.”
A review of three years’ audit reports of CAG showed that the state PSUs’ losses of Rs 6,072.96 crore were “controllable with better management”. “Losses can be eliminated or the profits can be enhanced substantially. The PSUs can discharge their role efficiently only if they are financially self-reliant,” the CAG report said,while stressing on the need for professionalism and accountability in the functioning of PSUs.
During the year 2010-11,40 PSUs incurred total losses of Rs 812.38 crore with transport service providers like Calcutta Tramways Company Ltd (Rs 208.25 crore) and Durgapur Projects Limited (Rs 183.5 crore) leading the pack. Stating that there has been no significant improvement in the financial position of the PSUs,the report said the return on employment has decreased from 6.14 per cent in 2005-06 to 5.97 per cent in 2010-11. The transaction audit observations in the report highlight deficiencies in the management of PSUs.
Which resulted in serious financial implications. Durgapur Projects Limited lost revenue of more than Rs 390 crore on annual fixed charges and incurred extra expenditure on repair of rotor,procurement of energy meters at higher rate and for not availing discount on oil price,CAG said.
Similarly,the West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited incurred avoidable expenditure of Rs 11.28 crore on excise duty,repair of ESP and interest on advance tax,the report said.
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