DHARMANAGAR, Aug 5 (TIWN) : A huge embezzlement of Rs 1 crore has been brought to light under School Education Department by the CAG(audit) report for the year 2016-17 . This time the ghotala took place in Dharmanagar . On 27/07/2017 Director of Secondary Education Govt of Tripura sent a letter to the DM & Collector , North Tripura vide No.F.10(8-3)SE/Audit/2017 stating ," you are requested to submit the latest poaition regarding construction of 50 seated Manipuri Boys Hostel atRajbari /Dharmanagar under Special Central Assistance (SCA -Untied) for the year 2012-13 sanctioned to byFinance Department vide Memo No.F.6(02)-Fin(B)/2010-11/P-1 dated 7/8/2012 and the fund or Rs 50 lakh wasreallocated to you vide No.F8(2-17)-SE/Plan/2011(L) dated03/09/2012 by Directorate of Secondary Education for implementation of said work ."

It is to be mentioned here that the CAG report for Education(School) Department  for the year 2016-17  under the headline  Blockade of funds reads Faulty planning in taking up execution of work without ensuring availibility of clear site resulted in non-commencement of the work of the hostel building even after a lapse of more than 4 years from the date of administrative approval , depriving the intended benefits to the targeted students. The funds of Rs 75 lakh was blocked up on idle stores for more than three years .

For construction of 50 seated Hostel for Manipuri BoysatRajbari , Dharmanagar , North Tripura District under Special Central Assistance(SPA-Untied) , administrative approval and expenditure sanction for Rs 99.01 lakh and Rs 50 respectively was accorded to the Executive Engineer (EE),Dharmanagar Division PWD(R&B) between November 2012 and October 2015 . The EE awarded (November 2013) the work to the lowest tenderer at Rs 1.52 crore with a stipulated completion date of 14 July 2015 . But the test check of records of the Director of Secondary Education, Agartala revealed that the work was awarded to the contractor without proper survey of the proposed site . It was only after the handing over of the site to the contractor on 4December 2013 that the proposed land was found to be inadequate for construction of the hostel building . Then the modified drawings were handed over on 26 July (after a lapse of 233 days ) from the date of handing over of the site . Without commencing the work the contractor on 11 August 2014 demanded 10% enhancement of the rates stating that the cost of building materials had increased tremendously .

The CAG report also categorically states faulty planning in taking up execution of work without ensuring availability of clear site resulted in non-commencement of the work of the hostel building even after a lapse of more than 4 years from date of administrative approval depriving the intending benefits to the targeted students . The funds of Rs 1 crore released for the work remained unutilized .

But on 13/07/2017 replying to the Accountant General(Audit)Tripura , Director of Secondary Education , Govt of Tripura vide No.F10(8-3)SE/Audit/2017 mentioned that the execution of the work is under process . But the Director is quite oblivious that the fund was released more than 4 years ago.