PANAJI
An audit report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has revealed that as many as 10 departments have caused combined losses of Rs 8.74 crore to the state exchequer on account of theft and misappropriation.
As many as 31 cases of misappropriation, defalcation, etc. involving government money totalling Rs 8.74 crore are pending for final action.
Ten cases involving an amount of Rs 12.60 lakh have been pending for 10 years or more, while there are 11 cases involving an amount of Rs 14.51 lakh pending from 5-10 years. There are 10 cases involving an amount of Rs 8.47 crore pending since the last five years.
According to the report, action into 27 cases amounting to Rs 8.66 crore has started but has not been not finalised.
Two cases are pending in court while 2 others are pending for orders for recovery or write off.
Majority of pending cases are with directorate of panchayats (24 cases) and vigilance department (14 cases).
Other departments are with the Police (4 cases), Civil Supplies (6 cases), Goa Medical College (4 cases), Directorate of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (2 cases), sports (2 cases), transport (2 cases), prison (2 cases) and Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services (2 cases).
As per Rule 33 of the General Financial Rules 2017, any loss or shortage of public money, revenue or receipt has to be immediately reported by the subordinate authority concerned to the next higher authority, as well as statutory audit officer and the concerned principal accounts officer.
The reasons for pendency of cases, as per the heads of departments, included waiting for departmental and criminal investigation, department action initiated but not finalised, criminal proceedings finalised but recovery of amount still pending and awaiting orders for recovery or write off besides pending in courts of law.
