BANGALORE: A report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, after an analysis of the functioning of gram panchayats in Karnataka, has stated that there has been no material improvement in the collection of taxes for gram sabhas. It states: “Operation of the funds through current bank accounts has resulted in a loss of interest aggregating to `1.06 crore and many rural poor were deprived of the intended benefits.” According to Accountant General (LB&A) Keerti Tiwari, who was involved in preparing the report, which was tabled in the legislative assembly, lack of financial discipline and control resulted in the irregular withdrawal of funds on self cheques, deposit of `8.70 crore outside government accounts and lapse of grants of `88.92 lakh at the implementation of developmental programmes in selected departments of Chitradurga zilla panchayat. The report further states that the executive engineers of the panchayat raj engineering divisions of Bagalkot, Belgaum, Chikkodi and Chickamagalur ZPs failed in acquiring land required for the proposed nine water supply schemes under Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission. “On account of this lapse, the works were executed partially and then stopped due to non-availability of land, resulting in unfruitful expenditure of Rs 37.39 crore apart from denial of safe drinking water to the rural population,” she explained. Negligence of the deputy directors of Khadi and Village Industries Commission failed has resulted in a loss of `4.80 crore to the state.
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