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PAC summons Punjab Chief Secretary

Chandigarh: A Punjab Assembly panel has summoned the state Chief Secretary to explain the “serious flaws” reported by CAG in 2003 in disbursement of funds of by Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal under the ‘Sangat Darshan’ programme. The Public Accounts Committee, headed by Congress MLA Avtar Singh Brar, has given 21-day time to Chief Secretary R I Singh to explain the “inordinate delay” in replying to the CAG report, Punjab Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira told reporters here on Wednesday.

Citing the CAG report 2003, he said Mr. Badal disbursed a sum of Rs.308.90 crore in an “irregular manner” during June 2000 to December 2001.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) had also observed that no separate budgets were provided by the state government for the programme, he said adding that money was mainly withdrawn from four funds operating in the state and seven schemes being implemented by Deputy Commissioners.

He alleged that Mr. Badal, who was continuing with the programme in his current tenure, “misutilised” the Rural Development Fund, Chief Minister’s Flood Relief Fund, Employment Assurance Scheme and Community Development Funds.

Favouritism

“The CAG also pointed out favouritism while allocating Rs.46.20 lakh to a village in his home district of Muktsar,” he said. - PTI

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