Sir,
This is with reference to the news “Students forced to sit in open, desks given by Army dumped” published in DE 23.11.2015.It has been reported that a school established 54 years back(in 1961) located in the remote area of Balakote(Darati village) near LOC in district Poonch is being run in unsafe building and sans basic facilities. Army authorities had provided 87 desks, computers, computer tables, chairs and other furniture but most of the desks have been dumped in a room and computers and computer tables/chairs are gathering dust as the sufficient accommodation is not available in the school.
As per Financial Regulations every public authority incurring or authorizing expenditure from public money should be guided by high standards of financial propriety. Every officer should also enforce financial order and strict economy, at every step and see that all relevant financial rules and regulations are observed by his own office and by subordinate disbursing officers. The main principle on which emphasis is generally laid is that every officer is expected to exercise the same vigilance in respect of expenditure incurred from public moneys as a person of ordinary prudence would exercise in respect of expenditure of his own money.
Though there may be requirement of the above items in the school but since there was no sufficient accommodation/ infrastructure available these items are not being used for the purpose these were procured. It also shows that before providing these items it was not ascertained by the concerned army authorities about the availability of sufficient accommodation where desks, computers, computer tables and computer chairs are to be installed which was prerequisite and thus resulted infructious expenditure. It is also feared whether electricity connection to run the computers is available (especially during school timing) in the school or not. Since Indian Army in J&K is carrying out so many similar projects under OP Sadbhavna and incurring public money in crores aimed at winning hearts and minds of the people in the areas affected by terrorism and insurgency in J&K, it is enjoined upon all the competent financial authorities to ensure before according financial sanction that sufficient accommodation exists in a particular school for which above types of items are proposed to be provided. It will be more appropriate if a written confirmation along with approved design/drawing of the school building to this effect is obtained from the concerned Chief Education Officer instead from the concerned school.
Yours etc…
S.S.Jamwal SAO (Rtd)
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