A preliminary inquiry into the Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research, Training and Human Development Institute (SARTHI) has found irregularities worth crores in merely eight months after the institute’s formation.
SARTHI denied all allegations of misappropriation of funds in a statement issued on Friday. It said the expenditure was necessary as these were the institute’s early days and infrastructure had to be set up.
Formed under the previous Bharatiya Janata Party-led government, SARTHI is registered under the Companies Act, 2013, as a non-profit government company for research, policy advocacy and training for socio-economic and educational development of Maratha, Maratha-Kunbi, Kunbi-Maratha, Kunbi communities and families dependent on agriculture.
Soon after coming to power, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government appointed a one-member committee under Relief and Rehabilitation Department secretary Kishor Raje-Nimbalkar to probe alleged irregularities in the institute’s operations.
The preliminary probe has found that within eight months of its formation, SARTHI has spent ₹5.5 crore on advertisements, ₹80 lakh on six cars and ₹8 crore to train 226 students for UPSC.
OBC, SEBC, and VJNT Welfare Minister Vijay Wadettiwar said, “SARTHI director D.R. Parihar had demanded funds of over ₹530 crore. In the wake of this preliminary report, an IAS officer has been appointed as managing director at the institute and will probe further.” Mr. Parihar has already resigned.
The probe report said SARTHI did not take permission before spending the money, and no advertisement was issued for recruitments. Over 300 people were hired with salaries ranging from ₹18,000 to ₹20,000. A training institute for UPSC was paid ₹2-2.5 lakh per student, while ₹1.93 crore was spent on merely 127 students who were preparing for MPSC exams. Another ₹20 lakh was spent on just 13 students preparing for the National Defence Academy exam.
In its statement, SARTHI said it does not require the government’s permission for the expenditure. Mr. Wadettiwar, however, said, “SARTHI is a government initiative. It cannot spend money as per its wish. Government permission is a must.”
The ₹530 crore sought by Mr. Parihar in this year’s budget included ₹5 crore for library expansion, ₹12 crore for UPSC training, ₹30 crore for the skill development programme, ₹54 crore for PhD students, ₹54 crore for military training and ₹90 crore for human resources.
“Whether other officials or a leader from previous the government were involved will be clear after the IAS officer’s inquiry,” he said.
