Audit reveals equipment procured before completion of civil works, but never used
PANAJI
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has pulled up the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), this time, for ‘unfruitful’ expenditure of Rs 3.94 crore after sound-and-light show equipment meant for Aguada Jail was procured before the site was ready, shifted to Baga Beach without a formal agreement and never put to use.
According to the CAG report, tabled on the concluding day of the Legislative Assembly on Friday, the 2016 sanction for developing Aguada Jail as a tourist destination comprised two components – civil works and equipment for a sound-and-light show. However, GTDC tendered for the equipment in October 2016 and awarded the contract in June 2017, even though civil work tenders were only finalised in March 2019.
“The equipment was supplied on July 29, 2018, however, the site was not ready when the sound-and-light show equipment was received,” the CAG observed.
GTDC’s board approved on September 21, 2018 the shifting of the equipment to Baga Beach “to utilise the equipment, till the Aguada project is completed.” The audit noted that the equipment were handed over to a private agency without a formal agreement and never brought back to Aguada. Instead, in October 2020, GTDC decided to purchase new equipment for Aguada Jail and retain the original set at Baga.
“GTDC floated a fresh tender and similar sound and light show equipment amounting to Rs 3.25 crore were purchased (February 2021) from the same agency for Aguada Jail, even before the civil works were completed (March 2021). Regarding tendering in October 2016 before the site was ready, GTDC replied (December 29, 2021) that, to achieve the targets, preparation of detailed estimates, technical sanctions, tendering process, etc, were carried out simultaneously for both the works (the construction works and procurement of the equipment for the sound and light show),” it added.
The CAG termed this response “not acceptable” as NOCs for site availability were not ensured before tendering. It also said the work order for the sound-and-light show could have been issued just before civil work completion.
On the shifting to Baga, GTDC said the equipment was shifted to the Baga parking site to protect it from rusting, damage and pilferage. “Though the work of sound and light show was completed and tested at Baga, it could not be put to use as there were no tourist footfalls due to Covid-19 pandemic,” the GTDC said with the CAG rejecting this explanation as well stating that the decision to shift the equipment was taken in September 2018, long before the pandemic, and that an inspection in February 2024 found the show had still not commenced at Baga.
“Procuring sound and light show equipment for Aguada Jail before the completion of civil works resulted in unfruitful expenditure of Rs 3.94 crore on their procurement and shifting, without ensuring their utilisation, besides bringing about lapse of their warranty,” the CAG concluded.
