Rajeev Chandrasekhar's official website - Member of Parliament

 

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

Ministry of Human Resource Development

DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

RAJYA SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1143

TO BE ANSWERED ON 14TH JULY, 2009

Misuse of SSA Funds.

1143. SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a)whether cases have come to Government’s notice of misuse and diversion of funds sanctioned to the States under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSM;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c)  the steps proposed to be taken to retrieve the diverted or misused funds to be used for the purpose for which they have been sanctioned?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE

DEVELOPMENT

(SMT. D PURANDESWARI)

(a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

 Statement

 STATEMENT REFFERED TO N REPLY TO RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION

NO.1143 FOR 143.2009 ASKED BY SHRI RAJEEV CNANDRASEKHAR REGARDING

MISUSE OF SSA FUNDS

 (a) to (c); The Performance Audit report on Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) for the period 2001 -02 to 2004-05, submitted by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India in August 2006, indicates that an amount of Rs 53 crores can be classified as expenditure not covered under the SSA guidelines. The Government of India has directed the States to recoup the inadmissible expenditure to the State SSA programmes.

In addition, reports from States have indicated instances of financial irregularities. Andhra Pradesh reported an embezzlement of Rs.1498 crores under DPEP I SSA accounts in 2006-07. An FIR was lodged and the State CID investigated the matter. The State Government suspended three accounts officials and transferred another three out of the State Project Office of SSA. In Haryana (2005-2007), 11 officials involved in financial irregularities have been proceeded against wherein services of two officials have been terminated. In Karnataka, action has been taken against 21 officials and an amount of Rs.8,58 laths recovered from them. In West Bengal an amount of Rs.517.80 lath was fraudulently withdrawn by eight officials in one district, where the C’ID has arrested seven persons and proceedings are underway. In Gujarat (2007-08) action was taken against two officials involved in financial irregularities and Rs. 1 598 lakhs recovered, Nine officials have been suspended in Rajasthan on complaints of misuse of SSA funds and other irregularities. In Himachal Pradesh, FIR was lodged on a complaint of misuse SSA funds and an amount of Rs.3.02 lakhs has been recovered.

The Government of India has issued strict instructions to States/UTs to recoup the inadmissible expenditure and to avoid recurrence of such instances in future. Complaints received on financial irregularities are investigated by States and corrective action taken on a regular basis. Govermuent of India has laid down a Financial & Procurement Manual in SSA to streamline financial management systems. Government of India is also monitoring the use of SSA funds through annual State/UT audits, independent concurrent financial reviews and field monitoring through social science institutions.

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