CAG flags 'irregularities' in Lalit Kala Akademi; 'wrong and fabricated', says art institution
New Delhi (PTI): The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has flagged serious financial "irregularities" in the Lalit Kala Akademi, according to officials in the know of the audit observation.
The audit observation of LKA, a prestigious art institution under the Culture Ministry to promote visual arts in India, by the CAG for a period from 2016-17 to 2021-22 points out various anomalies in violation of the government's general financial rules.
According to the officials, the report alleges that LKA disregarded several norms in making payments to other bodies, appointing officers, availing services from outside agencies and assigning a foreign tour, among other anomalies.
While LKA chairman Uma Nanduri, who is also joint secretary in the Ministry of Culture, refused to respond, Ramakrishna Vedala, secretary (in-charge) of LKA, has rubbished the audit observation calling it "wrong and fabricated".
The CAG sent the audit observation to the LKA in October 2022 for its response. The LKA has further forwarded it to the ministry, which is yet to revert to the Akademi.
After the ministry's response, the LKA will send it to CAG which will compile and table it in the Parliament.
The CAG has alleged that LKA didn't receive utilisation certificates from various institutions for an amount of Rs 2,568.66 lakh from 1997-98 to 2021-22.
"Akademi needs to take effective measures to ensure that the utilisation certificates (UCs) are received and also ensure that funds have actually been utilised for the purpose for which they have been released ", the report said.
"The quality of maintenance of records was very poor. There was no evidence regarding sincere action taken by the Akademi to reduce the number of outstanding UCs," it added.
It has also flagged the irregularities in hiring and deployment of vehicles, engaging legal counsels, purchase and distribution of laptops, and undue favours to contractors, among other violations.
Questioning the Akademi's decision to advertise through private agencies, the report said, "The imprudent decision of awarding the work of publishing advertisements of LKA through a private agency and without following the prescribed norms was highly irregular."
Alleging that Vadela himself travelled to Mexico in 2019 without any approval from the competent authorities, the report suggested, "An ex-post facto sanction may be obtained from the ministry or the amount may be recovered from the concerned official."
It also indicated irregularities in appointment of an assistant programme officer (APO) and said that the present APO doesn't fulfil the eligibility conditions.
Vedala dismissed all allegations and said that there is no corruption in LKA. He defended the LKA's decision in all the matters and said that everything has been done as per the norms.
"Government organisations give utilisation certificates late. We are in the process of getting those certificates. Where is corruption in that? The APO's appointment is as per the recruitment rules. There is no violation in anything," Vedala said.
When asked that the CAG's audit observation has questioned the hiring and deployment of vehicles worth Rs 54.76 lakh from 2016-17 to 2021-22 without adopting limited/open tender enquiry, Vedala said, "If we are doing programmes and if our staff are going here and there to achieve objectives of Lalit Kala Akademi on various projects like doing visual arts camps, can't we hire vehicles? Are the staff not eligible to go here and there to get the work done?"
Situated in New Delhi, LKA was inaugurated on August 5, 1954 by the then education minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad to promote visual arts. Three years later in 1957, it was registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860 and at present it has seven other centres in the country.
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Kharge has put 'full stop' to leadership speculation in Karnataka: Minister Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Friday said AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge has put a "full stop" on the issue of leadership change in the state.
Kharge's statement has a lot of significance and there ends the matter for now. Everyone in the party should respect and accept this, he said.
Parameshwara was referring to Kharge's statement on Thursday that there was no chief minister change in Karnataka "for now" and that the leadership issue in the state will be resolved soon.
Kharge's statement came amid speculation within the party and political circles about a possible decision on leadership change and cabinet reshuffle after May 4, once the results for assembly elections in four states and one union territory, along with bypolls to two assembly segments in Karnataka, are announced.
"Mallikarjun Kharge is our party's national president. He has a lot of experience. Several people, including me, have said that in the case of change (in leadership), if he (Kharge) comes (as CM), no one could speak in front of his experience and everyone would accept it. While replying to it, Kharge said that there is a chief minister now, and there is no question of change as of now," Parameshwara said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "I welcome his (Kharge) statement because I feel he has expressed his opinion after a discussion involving him, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala (both AICC general secretaries). I may be right or wrong. I feel that his statement has a lot of significance. So that matter ends there for now."
Responding to a question on repeated statements by several party leaders regarding leadership change, the home minister said, what the AICC chief has said on the matter is final. It should be respected and accepted by all in the party. There is no meaning in interpreting it further.
"I cannot respond to what others say, but I can say my opinion. In my opinion, the AICC chief is the supreme authority in the party. He, along with Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, are our high command. If the high command has said something, we should both respect and accept it. There ends the matter," he said.
Kharge has put a "full stop" on the issue, he further said, adding that, "When he has said there is no change. It is a full stop."
Responding to a question on Parameshwara's recent statement about Kharge becoming chief minister, the AICC chief on Thursday said, "You (media), he (Parameshwara), and people at the top say that it is better if I become CM. But more than fate, as per my ideology and my service to the party so far, Sonia Gandhi makes decisions regarding me."
He had further said, "But that question does not arise now. There is already a CM here. If Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and I together have to take any decision in that direction, it will take some time. Let's wait and see."
Kharge on Friday too said no date has been fixed yet to discuss a possible leadership change in Karnataka.
Supporters of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar have been insisting on his elevation in line with a reported power-sharing agreement with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah when the party won the 2023 Assembly elections. Some have even claimed that "sweet news" is expected by May 15, which is Shivakumar's birthday.
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, 2025.
The speculation has been fuelled by a reported "power-sharing" arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time of government formation in 2023.
