CHENNAI: The Central University of Tamil Nadu (CUTN), Thiruvarur, and Gandhigram Rural Institute (GRI), Dindigul, have come under the scanner of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) for financial and procedural lapses, with the audit pegging the loss to the exchequer at Rs 2.60 crore and Rs 3.20 crore, respectively.
The findings were part of a CAG report tabled recently in the Lok Sabha.
At CUTN, the audit found that 44 procurement and work orders worth Rs 8.16 crore issued between 2017-18 and 2019-20 did not comply with mandatory financial procedures. The university had issued the orders without obtaining necessary approvals from its building committee and other departments.
It also failed to constitute purchase committees for purchases exceeding Rs 25,000 and awarded contracts worth more than Rs 2.50 lakh without inviting tenders. Bills totalling Rs 8.16 crore were sent directly to the central public works department for payment without proper scrutiny by the finance and purchase sections.
Even before the CAG audit, CUTN had ordered an investigation into the purchases. The investigation found that 786 of the 2,711 items shown as purchased could not be traced, while another 387 items could not be verified.
The audit subsequently estimated short supply worth Rs 58.87 lakh and excess payments of Rs 2.01 crore. The matter was later referred to the central vigilance commission, which recommended disciplinary action against four officials. However, recovery of the Rs 2.60-crore loss and further action remain pending, the CAG report said.
Premises rented but no training conducted
At GRI, the audit flagged the setting up of a centre in New Delhi in 2017 without the required approval from the Ministry of Education or the University Grants Commission (UGC). The centre was intended to conduct short-term training programmes on Gandhian ideals of rural development and international programmes.
The centre functioned from rented premises for nearly five years, incurring expenditure of `3.20 crore, but failed to conduct the programmes for which it was established. The CAG has asked the ministry to fix responsibility and recover the money from those responsible.
