Over Rs 108 cr diverted from CM's Nagarothana scheme: CAG report
Belagavi (PTI): In contravention of guidelines, the city corporations of Ballari, Tumakuru and Vijayapura have "diverted" Rs 108.75 crore of funds, meant for the 'Chief Minister's Nagarothana scheme', towards other projects, the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) has said.
The CAG's performance audit on the 'Mukhyamantrigala Nagarothana scheme (phase-3) for city corporations' was tabled in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Friday.
The Nagarothana scheme (phase-3) at an estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crore was launched to upgrade infrastructure in 10 city corporations, with each one getting Rs 100 crore.
The performance audit covered the period 2014-15 to 2020-21 in Ballari, Mysuru, Tumakuru and Vijayapura.
According to the CAG findings, "In contravention of the scheme guidelines, the test checked city corporations diverted Rs 108.75 crore (40 per cent of the total expenditure of Rs 269.28 crore) towards work taken up under other schemes."
It was towards "paying their contribution amounts for other schemes- AMRUT, Rajiv Gandhi Awas Yojana and 24x7 water supply- or on works being executed under other grants," it said.
This deprived the city corporations of the full benefit which was to be accrued from the scheme, the CAG said, as it rejected the government's claim that this was not diversion but utilisation of funds towards other schemes.
"Scheme guidelines specifically prohibited funding of works taken up under other schemes. Reply was also silent regarding utilisation of scheme funds for ineligible components such as payment of land compensation, construction of building etc," it added.
Further pointing out that appointment of three project management consultants (PMC) for Belagavi, Davangere, Hubballi-Dharwad, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Tumakuru and Vijayapura were "incorrect", the CAG said, "undue favour led to works worth Rs 14.63 crore being awarded to these ineligible consultants."
"They did not meet the selection criteria and were liable to be rejected," it said.
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Vijay unable to prove majority, not invited for CM oath ceremony: Sources
Chennai: Actor-politician Vijay has reportedly not been invited to take oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after failing to demonstrate support from the required number of MLAs, sources in Raj Bhavan said.
According to media reports that quoted sources in the office of R.N. Ravi Arlekar, Vijay could not prove the backing of 118 legislators, the majority mark in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Despite last-minute efforts to secure support from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazagam (AMMK), and an IUML legislator, Vijay reportedly managed support from only 116 MLAs, falling short by two members.
Sources said Vijay failed to submit letters of support from the VCK and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
Later, the IUML issued a statement clarifying that it was not part of the TVK-led alliance.
Meanwhile, AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran is also said to have informed the Governor that his party would support the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) instead.
Earlier in the evening, Vijay had met Governor Arlekar and staked claim to form the government, stating that he enjoyed the support of 118 MLAs.
