Rs 81 lakh spent on DGP’s house, Home Dept objects
Wednesday, 18/07/2012
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120718/punjab.htm#7
Propriety in spending government funds is being questioned with the Punjab Home Department refusing to clear a bill of more than Rs 81 lakh incurred on the renovation of former DGP PS Gill’s official residence in Sector 16 here.
Records show that more than Rs 1.06 crore was spent on renovating the Sector 16 accommodation, allotted to the former DGP a couple of months before he resigned in September last year.
Of this total, a little more than Rs 81 lakh was paid by the Punjab Police Housing Corporation. The Home Department has returned the bill to the corporation with certain objections. Anil Kaushik, corporation CMD, said: “We have replied to the objections raised by the Finance Department”.
A senior official said: “It is a routine procedure as such bills are cleared after a round of communication between different departments. The real issue is how such a huge expenditure out of corporation funds was allowed at a time when hundreds of police personnel are waiting to get official accommodation”.
The former DGP has been occupying the official accommodation even after relinquishing the charge and despite the levy of a penal rent of Rs 55,000 per month on him. Since the accommodation is official, the officer was required to leave the premises immediately after he resigned, sources said.
Prerna Puri, secretary, UT’s House Allotment Committee, said: “We have received a formal communication from the Punjab Government that the present DGP, Sumedh Singh Saini, will be shifting to his official accommodation soon. We have already initiated eviction proceedings against the former DGP”.
