Sir,
Another scam has been unearthed.Order was issued by the Technical Education Department in favor of M/S Power Solar System Ltd Bangalore for supply, installation,commissioning and testing of solar plants to 20 ITIs across the state costing about Rs 34 Crores.As per news report(DE March 27) these solar plants were required to be installed on the roof tops of the ITI buildings.However, company installed on land where land was available by utilizing 1 kanal of land of each ITI. Where no land was available solar system were not installed and are lying un-utilized for the last 2 years. It appears that before procurement the feasibility of installation of plants at roof tops of all the ITIs buildings was not explored. Wherever these were installed the same are not functioning properly and are not generating electricity even one fourth of the installed capacity. Thus ITIs are bound pay power bills between Rs 40000 to Rs one lakh monthly.Thus the very purpose of procurement of solar power plants incurring huge public money has been defeated.
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.
It appears that the authorities sitting at the helm of the affairs have no regards regarding the rules and regulations of the Financial Regulations.The most disturbing facts are that the conditions stipulated in the order regarding payment to the supplier have been flouted.There was a condition to release 30 percent payment by the Head of Institutes after successful installation, testing, commissioning and after monitoring the working of the system for 15 days by the ITIs but payments were released without any inspection and load testing by the Civil Secretariat instead of Head of the Institutes.Further, it was mandatory for the Govt departments to approach Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency for execution such works but so such action was taken.The firm was also required to establish one office-cum service center in the state for at least five years to provide service to these solar power plants but no such service is available.
Since so many financial irregularities have been noticed as such this case is fit for investigation by the Vigilance Department so that the delinquent officials are brought to book and no other official may dare to flout Financial Regulations causing loss to public money.
Yours etc….
Sham Singh Jamwal
New Plots Jammu
Follow our WhatsApp channel