Local government minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday said the audit conducted by the department has detected discrepancies worth Rs 500 crore in civic bodies at Amritsar and Jalandhar during the last 10 years.
Interacting with mediapersons here at the local Circuit House after surprise visit at the Jalandhar Improvement Trust, the minister said while irregularities worth Rs 225 crore has been detected in audit of Amritsar, discrepancies more than Rs 250 crore have been unearthed in Jalandhar, which include 120 files of the Locally Displaced Persons (LDPs).
He said during the last 10 years of rule of the SAD-BJP alliance these civic bodies, including the Municipal Corporations and Improvement Trusts, were transformed into “den of corruption where irregularities and scams were the order of the day”.
The Minister claimed that the civic bodies were still following 500-year-old single-entry system, which was abandoned by the western countries around 450 years ago, as it was a way to facilitate theft. Likewise, he said in complete violation of the norms no daily, weekly and monthly cash books were maintained by the civic bodies.
Sidhu said prime properties in these cities were either allowed to be encroached or were given on lease to benefit few people at throwaway prices without any proper agreement.
The Minister added that the biggest fraud was misinterpretation of demarcation made by the state government to benefit affluent people. He said not only incorrect rates were applied but even allotment of plot more than area to made to few people. Making a startling revelation, Sidhu also said even the officers also signed blank stamp papers and submitted them in banks to benefit some people.
Sidhu said this was just tip of the iceberg as Rs 500 crore discrepancies pertain to only 40-50% record which was available for the audit whereas the remaining record has not been provided to the audit company, which was undertaking this work.
He warned the officers who were not submitting the record that stern action would be taken against them if they do not submit the record in coming days. Sidhu categorically said no one guilty for these discrepancies would be spared at any cost and strict action would be taken against them.
Listing the measures to be initiated by the state government in checking such discrepancies in future, the Minister said e-governance was the ultimate solution for this. He said complete satellite mapping of all the buildings in state was on cards adding that all government properties would be computerised very soon.
Sidhu added the state government has already started online approval for maps and buildings plans, adding that 450 architects from across the state have been registered for this purpose.
The Minister said the department intends to ensure that 60 services were made online by the coming March so that a transparent and efficient mechanism could be evolved. Likewise, he said audit would be held of all the civic bodies of the state in the coming days. Sidhu said that due focus was being laid on setting the house in order so that the tax payers money was aptly utilised for development of the cities and towns.
