Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Feb 24: Alleging mass scale bunglings in the purchase of Government vehicles and their repairs, members of the Upper House of Legislature demanded a probe by the House Committee and stressed for bringing transparency in the system.
The issue was raised by Congress legislator Ghulam Nabi Monga on the starred question of PDP member Yash Paul Sharma in the Legislative Council today. Several members participated in the discussion and cornered the Minister incharge Planning and Development Ajay Kumar Sadhotra responding on behalf of Minister for Transport Ch Mohd Ramzan.
Apart from Ghulam Nabi Monga, several other legislators including Jahangir Hussain Mir, Jugal Kishore, Sayed Rafiq Shah, Khalid Najib Suhrawardy and Sham Lal Bhagat raised serious allegations and demanded that a House Committee be constituted to probe into the matter. They alleged that massive corruption was galore in the purchases of vehicles and purchase of spare parts of the vehicles and their repair. The system was not transparent. Pick and choose method is adopted while allotting vehicles.
Mr Mir alleged that purchase committee members get vehicles from dealers. A huge commission is offered to them and even it has been learnt that for purchase of 10 vehicles, one is offered free by some companies. Where does this eleventh vehicle go, the Government must tell the House. Many vehicles given to the MLCs were in bad condition. He alleged that even many `Babus’ are in habit of indulging in massive corruption. “Unhen Haram Ki Khane ki Aadat Ho Gayi Hai,”…such people should be identified and sent into jails, Mr Mir added.
The Congress legislator further alleged that ambulances provided in the hospitals are often used by BMOs/ CMOs and other staff while public if left to suffer for which these vehicles are provided by Government. There is no check and in case of need the needy patients and their attendants are told that vehicle was out of order or the driver was not available. No body will come from the heaven to mend the system and until and unless this system is made correct, the setting of big hospitals or appointing huge staff will be of no use, Mr Mir maintained.
Ghulam Qadir Pardesi criticized Mr Mir for the allegations of one free vehicle offer by the companies, but Mir and Rafiq Shah stood up and snubbed the member for poking his nose into the affairs. They said let the Government reply, he was not the Minister. Jugal Kishore intervened and said that members should not indulge in heated exchanges over the issue. He alleged that all the vehicle should be purchased through DGS&D on special Government rates as per Government policy but many departments including J&K police, is purchasing vehicles directly from manufacturers and dealers at their own. He alleged that it was big fraud and the House Committee be formed to conduct a thorough probe. The members said that committee should be allowed to hold probe into the all the purchases made by various departments for vehicles in last ten years and assess the loss caused to the public exchequer. The other members also strongly pressed for the same. The Dy Chairman Javed Rana who was in the chair, turned sown the demand of the members, claiming that Minister has replied and he also denied such allegations.
Earlier, Minister for Planning Mr Sadhotra claimed that vehicles are purchased only on the minimum rate offers either on DGS&D rates or through dealers. He also denied the allegations that against the purchase of ten vehicles, eleven are offered by the companies. He also denied the allegations of pick and choose policy in allotment of vehicles and said that to MLCs, vehicles are provided by the Security wing. He also said that departments do not place orders for bulk purchase of vehicles but do it when the funds are made available. However, in few cases where the manufacturers do not have stock yards in J&K, the rates of DGS&D/ Spl Government prices are comparatively on higher side on account of Central Taxes and other duties which are not applicable on billing from stock yard in J&K as the manufacturers in this case only transfer their vehicles from plant to their stock yard without any sale. In such case the purchases are made from the dealer offering maximum discount.
Mr Sadhotra also gave the type of entitlement of the vehicles from Cabinet Ministers to the down level up to Addl DCs/SEs/ Mobile Magistrates etc. He also gave the rate offers of the manufacturers and dealers for Scorpio and Bolero vehicles and difference of the rates and discount offers but said that this less amount is benefit to the Government and there is no fraud in it as suspected. The members repeatedly stressed for a probe by House Committee but the Dy Chairman rejected.
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