BANGALORE: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Karnataka Legislature revealed that an amount of over Rs 135.40 crore of state funds remains in the personal accounts of officers of the state government in various departments. Taking serious note of the public money remaining in the personal accounts of several officers, the PAC of the Karnataka Legislature has strongly recommended the state government to take immediate measures to get it back to the state accounts.
In a report submitted to both houses of the Karnataka Legislature recently, the PAC headed by deputy leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly T B Jayachandra, stated that the funds mostly pertaining to Natural Calamity Fund (NCF) remains in the personal accounts of the officers.
Most of funds released under NCF was either stashed in personal accounts of DCs of various districts or in bank accounts of the implementing officers at the taluk level.
Comptroller of Accountant General (CAG) also raised severe objection about the incidents and suggested to rectify the matter.
Endorsing the opinion of the CAG on the matter, the PAC also instructed the Finance Department to take strict measures against such practices.
The PAC also directed the state government to initiate immediate measures and ensure that public money which remains in-active in personal accounts of government officials would be transferred to the state exchequer or state accounts.
The PAC report also revealed that at the end of November 2010, officials concerned have not submitted a detailed account for the amount they have drawn under Abstract Contingency Bill to the extent of over `111.21 crore.
The amount was drawn by various disbursing officers through over 14,091 Bills for which the drawing
officers are yet to submit accounts for the money they have spent.
The PAC has strongly recommended the state to take actions against the concerned District Disbursal Officers for their lapses.