BHUBANESWAR: The performance audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has detected serious irregularities in the utilisation of funds under the Ama Gaon Ama Bikash (AGAB) scheme launched in September 2018 to provide missing links to the existing infrastructure deficit.
Verification of records on fund utilisation of 5,933 projects taken up from 2018-19 to 2020-21 in two test-checked districts of Cuttack and Sambalpur revealed the projects were approved at the state level without supporting documents. This apart, the projects were neither consolidated at panchayat or block levels nor based on suggestions made by local people or public representatives.
The two districts received funds amounting to Rs 111.17 crore for the approved projects out of which 761 were taken up for execution at a cost of Rs 15.13 crore. “In the absence of bottom-up inputs, audit noticed that 102 approved projects, with an estimated cost of Rs 1.43 crore could not be taken up due to non-feasibility of the project site and insufficient cost estimates which had not been anticipated prior to approval,” the CAG report tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday said.
Selection of projects without the involvement of beneficiaries or their representatives, in a manner that was not compliant with the AGAB guidelines, resulted in the blocking of funds that could have been utilised as per local requirements, as was originally intended under the scheme, it added.
Inspection of 71 projects revealed that in 33 cases, BDOs executed religious structures in contravention of the guidelines. The purpose for which the scheme was launched was defeated as no benefit was extended to the beneficiaries. The audit found that BDOs of Tangi-Chowdwar, Kanatapada and Dhanakuda blocks had shown 23 projects with a cost of Rs 44.8 lakh were completed with payment of final bills.
However, a joint inspection by the audit team found that none of the projects were complete and the assets could not be utilised by the public resulting in unfruitful expenditure. It was further noticed that 68 works costing Rs 1.5 crore were constructed without administrative approval. As per the guidelines, the projects were to be approved by the chief minister.