Scholarship scam in united AP

30% BC scholarship money found missing

• No clue of the unspent money
• Re 15,052 cr was released for the FY 2012-13
• The irregularities were found by Principal Accountant General’s office
• Both states unable to explain where the unspent money has gone

Hyderabad: The Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments are groping in the dark and are unable to explain where 30 per cent of the whopping Rs 15,052 crore scholarship money for the Backward Classes in the 2012-13 financial year has gone. The irregularities pertained to the period of the United Andhra Pradesh government.

The scholarship amount was released through various agencies like Andhra Pradesh State Minority Finance Corporation Limited, Andhra Pradesh State Christian Minority Finance Corporation, and Urdu Academy of Andhra Pradesh and others. The district level nodal officers were given the charge of releasing funds to the government and private colleges in the districts.

According to the officials, Rs 7,822 crore had been released for 13 districts of Andhra Pradesh, and Rs 7,230 crore was released for ten districts of Telangana and the amount was meant to be spent by the end of 2012-13 financial year. Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Nalgonda, Khammam and Mahabubnagar districts were given the lion’s share of nearly Rs 4457.20 crore under the scheme.

Utilisation certificates of Rs 5475.4 crore were submitted to the BC welfare department of AP. Still there is a gap of Rs 2346.6 crore for which the utilisation certificates are yet to be submitted.

Similarly in case of Telangana utilisation certificates for Rs 5061 crore were submitted to the BC welfare department. The remaining 30 per cent which amounts to Rs 2169 crore is yet to be accounted for.

According to the Principal Accountant General’s Office, there has been widespread irregularities and the public watch dog has sought an explanation as to how the government has allowed hundreds of crore to be left unaccounted.

Following this, the BC Welfare Commissioner had asked the district level officials to submit the details on the irregularities pointed out by the accountant general.

But none of the District Officers in the united AP took any action. No colleges were identified and they did not give any information as to with whom the government funds were lying.

This prompted the government to issue a GO Rt No: 123 on May 19 this year.

The GO had appointed six officials of joint and additional director rank to verify and confirm the utilisation of Rs 15,052. The GO had stipulated that the inspection officials should submit their report within 90 days from the date of issue of the GO.

The officials so appointed were asked to tour the districts allocated to them and submit an action taken report.

Speaking to The Hans India, AP BC Welfare Commissioner Vani Prasad said that “So far only about 70 per cent of utilisation certificates were submitted to the commissionarate”. The Telangana BC Welfare Commissioner Alok Kumar also said that “70 per cent of utilisation certificates were submitted and the remaining 30 per cent are expected to be completed in a month’s time”.