For 5 years, Goa has not acted on a single CAG finding on corruption
The findings range from administrative bungling andmanipulation to direct financial losses due to corruption. From 2005 to 2010 - theprincipal auditor of the government, the CAG’s Goa unit has submitted 1384paragraphs in its five CAG reports detailing these findings. In addition 369inspection reports of different departments have been recommended. But, therehas not been a single debate in the assembly, nor had the Goa government takenany action, on any of these findings by the CAG.
The PAC, which is also empowered to act on the reports,summon ministers and recommend action, has not included discussions on CAGreports in committee proceeding,s except by Mr Parrikar in two years. But itwas Mr Parrikar, who happened to be the head of the PAC for the majority ofthis period of five years.
Contrast this with the centre. It was the CAG that unearthedthe Rs. 1,76,645 crore 2G scam, followed by the Rs. 70,000 crore CommonwealthGames Scam and now the Rs. 1,85,591.34 crore Coal block scam. The telecomminister A Raja and the Commonwealth Games organising committee Chairman SureshKalmadi and a host of officials went to jail. Now the coal scam has brought thePrime Ministers integrity under its sharpest ever attack, with the oppositionadamant on his resignation.
The seriousness over CAG reports and the role of theopposition in forcing the government to act and punish the corrupt is absent inGoa. The Comptroller and Auditor General ofIndia audits all receipts and expenditure of both Central and StateGovernments, including those of bodies and authorities substantially financedby the government. There appears to be acozy bonhomie among government and opposition. CAG reports are routinelyconfined to the nether areas and forgotten
“I don’t remember anything about CAG Reports” said formerChief Minister and current Public Accounts Committee Chairman Digambar Kamat.Kamat’s Legislative Committee examines the CAG Report, summons the different departmentsfeatured in the report and seek explanation and suggest course correction. In thechair, Kamat will also be examining a report that will feature the last leg ofhis rule that has damned every department in his government?
However, then PAC Chairman Manohar Parrikar remembersbringing up the CAG Report into the Committee proceedings on two successiveyears. The CM remembers making them but not the specifics. The approach to CAGReports has been lackadaisical across party lines.
These reports and paragraphs included amongst others how thegovernment lost Rs. 39.47 crores in executing of lease deeds for four SEZlands, Rs. 63.16 crores for wrongful allotment of GIDC plots, Rs. 43.53 croreson wrongful disbursement to beneficiaries of Dayanand Social Security Schemeand even a Rs. 40.91 crore wastage of setting up of Mapusa’s new AsiloHospital. (see box on Page 4 on thecritical findings)
The governmentsinaction is evident in the common refrain in each of the 5 CAG reports “The draft paragraphs/reviews were forwardeddemi-officially to the Principal Secretaries/Secretaries of the concerneddepartments between (the respective dates mentioned) with the request to send their responseswithin six weeks. The reply of the government for the reviews and transactionaudit paragraphs featured in this report, have not been received”.
“Our responsibilities end with the submission of audit reportto the House after which it is for the Legislature and / or Executive to actupon it”, explains Devika, Accountant General, Goa. “The CAG Reports havealmost ceremonially tabled on the floor of the house and have never been asubject for serious discussion” confirms five time MLA and former DeputySpeaker Mauvin Godinho. In a state where CAG’s constitutional propriety isshamelessly being ignored, it is political understanding and arrangement thatis defeating its’ truthful purpose.
