Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Mar 20: Kashmir University has also not remained behind in violating standing norms and rules whether in academic matters, making of payments for construction of quarters or acquisition of land thus causing a financial burden of crores of rupees to the State exchequer.
Passing severe strictures against the University authorities, the CAG report for ending March 2013 pointed out that injudicious decision by University regarding acquisition of 300 kanals of land has caused a financial burden of Rs 71.73 crore to the State exchequer.
As per report the University identified a piece of land measuring 300 Kanals at Zakura, Srinagar in close vicinity of main University campus for developing it for future expansion and growth of this highest seat of learning.
For this purpose the University executed a MoU with J&K Bank Ltd who was given authority by the owners to sell their land to University to adjust their loan. For this purpose the Government released Rs 60 crore during 2008-12.
However, the two chunks of lands measuring over 259 kanals and over 39 kanals respectively were not geographically contiguous and require additional acquisition for a compact campus, the report pointed out. The rates of the land had been determined through MoU without involving the Revenue Department for the acquisition of land under Land Acquisition Act. This way an expenditure of Rs 64.68 crore was incurred on purchase of over 299 kanals of land against Rs 71.73 crore due as of March 2013, the report added.
It reveled that the decision to go in for negotiated purchase of encumbered property without proper assessment of immediate and long term requirements was injudicious. The lapse was compounded by accepting a negotiated price without ascertaining the circle rate, market rate and further compounded by taking recourse to a costly loan from the seller / attorney holder. As per the records available with Revenue Department the highest sale deed registered in June 2008 for an adjacent plot land measuring half a kanal in Zakura, Srinagar was Rs two lakh (approximately Rs four lakh per kanal). But the University has purchased the land through J&K Bank for Rs 20 lakh per kanal. This resulted in purchase of land at a higher cost of 47.89 core, report added.
The CAG pointed out that though the possession of land was taken over in March 2009 and March 2010 by the University but the title of land was not transferred in its favour up to July 2013. This injudicious decision relating to acquisition of over 299 Kanals of land had caused a financial burden of Rs 71.73 crore with further liability of interest on unpaid amount, it added.
The audit further noticed delay ranging between two months and 52 months in completion and execution of eight building projects by the Construction Wing of the University on which an expenditure of Rs 27.53 crore was incurred during the period 2008-13.
It revealed that selection of agencies and construction of 137 major and minor building projects at a cost of Rs 31.57 crore were undertaken during the period 2008-09 to 2012-13 without formal approval of plans by the University Council. It pointed out that 29 works were taken up for execution during period 2007-8 to 2012-13 at an estimated cost of Rs 23.35 crore without preparing detailed project reports. Later the cost of these works were revised to Rs 40.25 crore. Besides supplementary agreements for additional works amounting to Rs 23.88 crore were irregularly made with contractors on already allotted rates and works were got executed without calling fresh tenders.
As per report out of 77 research projects to be completed by March 2013, only 16 projects had been completed. Eleven projects on which an expenditure of 62.24 lakh was incurred were abandoned midway.
Though established in the year 1969, the University has not prepared its consolidated annual accounts since inception and the finances were scattered in as many as 123 different accounts, the report added.
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