Noida Authority Sends Dalit Prerna Sthal Report to Govt, Action Likely Against Officials for Financial Irregularities

The Noida Authority has officially submitted a comprehensive report regarding the construction and tender details of the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal to the Uttar Pradesh government. This significant move comes after the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) raised serious objections regarding financial management during the project’s construction between 2007 and 2011. Officials indicated that once the state administration analyzes this data, strict disciplinary action could be initiated against the officers who were in charge at that time.

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What financial irregularities were found in the audit?

The audit by the CAG highlighted a massive gap between the initial budget and the final spending. Originally, the project had a sanctioned budget of approximately ₹80 crore, but reports suggest the total expenditure went over ₹723 crore. The auditors pointed out several specific issues regarding how taxpayer money was used without proper documentation.

• Budget Overshoot: The authority paid huge sums to the construction agency, far exceeding the approved cost estimates.
• Missing Contracts: Official files contain a formal contract for only ₹84 crore, which was meant for the boundary wall. There are no legal contracts or vouchers available for the remaining amount of over ₹639 crore.
• Stone Sourcing: Investigations found that pink sandstone was sourced from Chunar in Mirzapur, but the paperwork falsely claimed it was transported from Bayana in Rajasthan to charge higher transportation fees.
• Greenery Expenses: Serious questions were raised about the ₹14.5 crore spent on plants and landscaping, with many costs appearing inflated or unverified.

What is the current status of the investigation?

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is actively conducting hearings in Lucknow to address the 47 specific objections raised by the audit team. On Thursday, March 5, the Noida Authority compiled the requested data concerning the tenders and construction payments and forwarded it to the state government. This data is crucial for the ongoing inquiry.

Sources within the administration suggest that the government is taking these irregularities seriously. The focus is now on identifying the specific roles of the then-serving officials who approved these payments. With the data now submitted, the process to fix accountability for the alleged loss of public funds is expected to speed up in the coming days.