'Avoidable expenses, irregularities at IITs cost Rs 18.03 cr'

A CAG report has exposed wasteful and avoidable expenditures, and irregularities in three IITs at Jodhpur, Roorkee, and Madras, that cost the exchequer around Rs 18.03 crores.

According to the Comptroller and Auditor General's report - Compliance Audit Observations for year ended March 2016 - IIT-Roorkee spent Rs 15.06 crore in vain for construction of sewer lines and sewage treatment plant projects which was not completed even after four years from the date of completion.

IIT-Roorkee had also paid service tax to the tune of around Rs 1.33 crores for outsourced services although these services were exempted from such tax, the report stated.

IIT-Jodhpur had irregularly waived recovery of excess payment amounting to Rs 59.38 lakh to its faculty.

The report said, "The MHRD has directed IIT-Jodhpur to stop overpayment and recover the excess payments".

IIT-Madras has been accused of incurring avoidable expenditure of Rs 1.05 crores towards penal charges on electricity consumption.

Besides, Indian Institute of Management - Kozhikode (IIM-K) has also been accused of extending GPF-cum-pension scheme to its employees without government approval which has cost Rs 61.20 lakh.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)