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An official journey to Hannover, Germany, ended up in Rome, whereas one to Paris concluded within the vacationer hub of Good on the French Riviera, all on the expense of Society for the Promotion of Data Know-how in Chandigarh (SPIC) (from capability constructing funds). That is the story of S B Deepak Kumar, then Secretary, Data Know-how, and Prince Dhawan, Director of Data Know-how, who confronted a sequence of objections from the audit division for 3 of their abroad official journeys throughout which they prolonged the period of their keep and continued to attract a every day allowance. At current, each IAS officers are posted in Delhi.
This info got here to gentle in response to an RTI utility by R Okay Garg, a senior citizen, who sought audit report of SPIC from 2015 to 2018. It was the primary such audit of those society funds from April 1, 2015, to March 31, 2018.
From Germany to Rome
Based on particulars, in February 2016, each Deepak Kumar and Prince Dhawan got permission by then UT Adviser Vijay Dev to attend a “Make In India” convention at Hannover in Germany from March 14 to March 18.
The audit observations shared in response to the RTI revealed that the officers not solely flew enterprise class regardless of no clarification forthcoming for his or her entitlement to this perk but in addition travelled to Rome after the conclusion of their official assembly, the place they stayed in a luxurious lodge.
“An quantity of Rs 13,93,170 to Kouni Travels Personal Restricted was paid for lodge keep and insurance coverage. Lodge keep in Rome amounting to Rs 4,89,286 and air tickets from Berlin to Rome amounting to Rs 39,180 and insurance coverage amounting to Rs 11,052 isn’t justified,” the audit report identified.
Based on RTI information, although the convention was scheduled from March 14, the 2 went on enterprise class tickets to Germany on March 10. Airfare of Rs 6,92,085, together with insurance coverage, was sanctioned to Kouni Travels Personal Restricted.
The audit report stated, “The required directions/guidelines/tips of capability constructing programme whereby the officers have been entitled to journey via enterprise class weren’t made out there to the audit.”
Additionally, particulars revealed that journey bills of “two further members” amounting to Rs 2,63,855 made to M/S Kouni Travels Pvt Restricted have been “obtained again” solely on October 10 that yr after a spot of seven months.
The information underline that the exhibition and convention charge of Rs 1,01,842 (Rs 50,921 for every officer) was paid out of PNB account of SPIC as a substitute of the capability constructing programme account.
Journey card value lakhs
The 2 additionally bought a journey card regardless of getting a every day allowance. “Expenditure of Rs 2,06,116 by SPIC president (S B Deepak Kumar) and Rs 76,095 by SPIC CEO (Prince Dhawan) out of Journey Card isn’t justified in view of the truth that the officers have been paid every day allowance @ $100 per day for assembly day-to-day bills,” stated the audit report.
Although the convention was from March 14 to March 18, the officers spent 11 days in Europe throughout which they have been paid the every day allowance.
The audit report stated, “The cost of every day allowance for 11 days was not justified in view of the convention interval that’s from March 14, 2016, to March 18, 2016.”
“Furthermore the cost for 11 days has not been labored out by the workplace correctly ensuing into extra cost of Rs 7,359 to every officer.” It was additional noticed that “safety amounting to Rs 6,000 was paid for every officer for a global telephone card from Matrix Mobile (Worldwide) Companies Restricted and the safety quantity has not been adjusted.”
From Paris to Good
In September 2015, the 2 officers got permission to attend a “Good international locations and cities congress” to be held from September 1 to September 3 in Paris, France. Information present that an expenditure of Rs 12,59,577 was incurred on air fare, insurance coverage, lodging (single occupancy) and Eurail go on account of this go to.
After the convention ended on September 3, the 2 spent 4 days on the vacationer city of Good on French Riviera from September 4 which is about 686 km from Paris by practice and acquired a Eurail go.
The audit report said, “Each day allowance for 30.08.2015, 04.09.2015 to 08.09.2015 at $100 per day amounting to Rs 39,900 was not justified protecting in view that the convention concluded on September 3, 2015.”
RTI information present that the 2 bought Euro journey card value Rs 4,00,000 from ICICI Financial institution Restricted and an expenditure of 2882.76 Euros (Rs 2,10,384) was incurred on it.
“This expenditure isn’t a match cost because the officer has been paid a every day allowance @ $100 per day for assembly day-to-day bills,” the audit noticed. It additionally objected to the safety of Rs 6,000 paid for a global telephone card from Matrix Mobile (Worldwide) Companies Restricted.
The company additional discovered that money of Rs 15,000 was paid to each the officers as miscellaneous bills and “the main points of expenditure incurred by the officers out of Rs 15,000 together with supporting vouchers and stability if any refunded to the SPIC weren’t made out there to the audit”.
Euro journey
In 2015, Deepak Kumar and Prince Dhawan attended Good Metropolis Expo World Congress in Barcelona from November 17 to November 19.
RTI information present that the 2 officers once more prolonged their go to, this time for 9 days.
Particulars revealed {that a} sum of Rs 5,98,500 every was paid to World Expo and Conventions Administration (WECOM) for enterprise class airfare, lodging, registration, meals, visa charge, and many others.
Objecting to the enterprise class journey, the audit report said, “The required directions/guidelines/tips of capability constructing programme whereby the officers have been entitled to journey via enterprise class weren’t made out there to the audit.”
The 2 officers have been paid a every day allowance amounting to Rs 1,15,930 for 9 days. The audit report said, “The cost of every day allowance for 9 days isn’t justified in view of the convention interval i.e. 17.11.2015 to 19.11.2015. Fee of every day allowance at full price i.e. $100 per day isn’t justified because the registration charge contains breakfast and lunch.” RTI information reveal that the 2 additionally bought Euro Journey playing cards value Rs 2 lakh (Rs 1,00,000 for every officer).
The audit report said, “Expenditure of Rs 1,53,430 (Rs 1,00,000+53,430 unspent stability of earlier journey card) by SPIC president and Rs 41,676 by the SPIC CEO out of Journey card isn’t justified in view of the truth that the officers have been paid every day allowance @ $100 per day for assembly day-to-day bills.”
RTI particulars reveal that this time the bills on the Matrix calling card (Rs 6,000 every) additionally included Rs 3,243.15 for extra calls.
The officers purchased Eurail World Cross from Grand Journey Planners Personal Restricted for Rs 68,710 (Rs 34,355 every). Objecting to this expense, the auditors wrote, “Expenditure on Eurail go amounting to Rs 68,710 isn’t justified because the registration charge contains native conveyance.”
The audit report additionally objected to ticket change costs of Rs 37,503. “Cause for change in ticket couldn’t be ascertained from the information made out there to the audit.”
UT Adviser Dharam Pal, when contacted, requested to see the audit objections. “I’ll get the matter investigated.’’
The audit objections to a complete expenditure of Rs 63.5 lakh from the SPIC funds have been put aside as each the IAS officers have been heading the SPIC division at the moment. RK Garg stated that “these common journeys have pointed the finger at our system”. “These sorties have pointed the finger at our system. Our AG workplace has no enamel as a result of all these years they’ve by no means sought replies from officers, though there are clear directions to keep away from international visits and like video discussions. There isn’t a cap on expenditure. An important level is the usefulness of those excursions. What has town gained?”
Each Prince Dhawan and Deepak Kumar got calls and messages.
Messages on each textual content and WhatsApp have been despatched. Even screenshots of the report have been despatched to them to hunt their feedback. However they didn’t reply regardless of viewing the messages. Additionally, they disconnected the calls made by the Categorical later.
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