Times of India: Chandigarh: Saturday, March 17, 2018.
Funds of Rs
1.10 crore meant for the Union government’s flagship programme Beti Bachao Beti
Padhao (BBBP) were misused by a private firm by allegedly submitting fake
training receipts to Haryana government. This was revealed in a reply to a
query under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
A Bhiwani-based
activist Murari Lal Gupta had sought information under the RTI Act about the
funds spent under the scheme. According to the documents, the Haryana
department of women and child development had ordered for procurement of
ultrasonic pocket fetal doppler machines (UPFD) worth Rs 1.10 crore on March
31, 2015. Evergreen Enterprises, a firm from Faridabad, was ordered by the
state government to supply these.
Gupta had
sought information from the department director regarding the purchase and
utility of the 2,762 machines. The director’s office informed that in many
districts, these machines had not been used and were kept in store as no one
knew their operation for which no training was imparted.
“In Bhiwani,
Yammunanagar, Jhajjar, Rewari, Rohtak, Kaithal, Narnaul, Panipat and
Kurukshetra no training had been imparted for the use of the machines. Only
Sonipat, Ambala and Karnal district were given training through the firm
representative, Anil Kumar,” it was stated in the reply.
The
government had mentioned in its contract with the firm that the payment would
be subject to supply and training of equipment at the district centres. On
September 2, 2015, the supplier submitted bills and receipts from 12 districts
that training to handle the machine had been completed and sought for the
release of payment for the same. The supplier allegedly submitted forged
documents about training to the department and its payment was released on
September 7, 2015.
.JPG)
.JPG)
