Saturday, June 4 2005 13:46 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: The report of the Principal Accountant General (audit), Bihar, detects grave irregularities in flood relief operation in 2004.

The report of the PAG (audit), Bihar, highlighting grave irregularities in flood relief operation in 2004 is likely to further aggravate trouble of the former Patna district magistrate, Gautam Goswami, whose application for an anticipatory bail in the multi-crore flood relief scam will be heard by the vigilance court Patna on Monday (Jun 6, 2005).

The PAG (audit) in the report, which is an appendage to the voluminous FIR filed by the Vigilance Investigation Bureau probing the scam, detected gross financial mismanagement and dubbed the allotment of Rs 13.54 crore to former Patna DM to carry out relief operations as 'irregular'.

The audit of expenditure of funds allotted to the former DM by the State Disaster Management Department between May 2004 and August 2004 (flood period) for flood relief operations was conducted during April-May, 2005 through test check of records of the office of the DM, Patna, Disaster Management Department and Bihar State Small Industries Corporation.

The office of DM, Patna did not furnish the records despite instructions from divisional commissioner, Patna, the report said adding the audit was based on the records seized by the vigilance department.

The objective of the audit, the report said, was to ascertain if budget provision and its allotment to Patna were based on factual data and need assessment, any advance preparatory action for flood relief as preventive measure was taken by DMD and DM, Patna, bidding process of the office of DM, Patna was efficient and transparent and funds were utilised optimally by DM, Patna as per prescribed norms.

The report pointed out that scrutiny showed that Patna was not a flood-affected district and despite that the DM, Patna was allotted Rs 13.54 crore from calamity relief fund by the DMD for evaluation of population, supply of food-grains and for distribution of cash doles.

The PAG (audit) in the report said that instead of surrendering the allotment, Goswami indented for more funds on the ground that he was the nodal officer for flood-affected districts of north Bihar and there was nothing on record to show that he was notified as nodal officer by the Government of Bihar and was authorised to spend the amount allotted to Patna district for procurement of relief materials.

In the absence of any authorisation, the report said that the department should have directed the DM, Patna to surrender the allotment. However, the secretary, DMD, maintained an ambivalent stand and noted on file in August, 2004 that the Chief Secretary had directed the DM, Patna to act as a nodal officer.

But in October 2004, the secretary, DMD directed Goswami to furnish a copy of letter, which authorised him to act as a nodal officer, but no reply was received by the department from the DM, Patna, the report said noting that the department had not furnished any reply to audit (May 2005) in this regard.

It said that during May 2004 and August 2004, the secretary, DMD allotted Rs 13.54 crore to DM, Patna and the amount was drawn by him as advance through Abstract Contingent bills and the amount drawn by Patna DM towards supply of food grains was Rs 4.90 crore, cash doles (Rs 5.29 crore and population evacuation (Rs 3.15 crore) totalling Rs 13.34 crore while a sum of Rs 20 lakh was allowed to lapse.