Apart from carrying out checks on procedures, utilisation of funds and progress of projects, the CAG audit may also scrutinise the terms of contracts, agencies, and contractors to whom the projects have been awarded.
Noida Authority seems to be resisting a bid by the UP state government to submit itself to CAG. The body, which oversees housing projects in the NCR area, claims that it is not subject to CAG auditing as it is an autonomous body and does not get funding from the state or Centre.
Apart from carrying out checks on procedures, utilisation of funds and progress of projects, the CAG audit may also scrutinise the terms of contracts, agencies, and contractors to whom the projects have been awarded.
The issue of CAG auditing has become a major issue for not just the UP government, but also the Centre. During the assembly poll campaign, Prime Minister Modi had raised the issue of large scale corruption in Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA). The CAG has already started auditing of the GDA.
After GDA, the government is most likely to announce auditing of three development authorities in Gautam Budh Nagar. A similar petition is also pending in the Allahabad High court demanding CAG auditing of Noida Authority.
It is pertinent to point out here that NGOs and local residents have been demanding an audit of the Noida Authority for some time now. Scams involving the Authority, and the suspension of its chief engineer Yadav Singh has turned the spotlight on it.
Officials say on condition of anonymity, that apart from Yadav Singh, several bureaucrats, especially IAS (retired) Rakesh Bahadur, IAS officer Sanjeev Saran and Yashpal Tyagi etc have put Noida authority in a bad light thanks to their "corrupt practices."
The Noida Authority has submitted a report before the state government and the Allahabad High Court that it is an autonomous body, which does not get funding from either state or Centre. On that ground, Noida Authority officials have argued that it does not come in the jurisdiction of CAG.
The Authority has not only attached the order of several officers during BSP and SP regime, but also a document from the Comptroller and Auditor General's (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Service) Amendment Act, to support their stand.
& Analysis
Some argue that a CAG audit is long overdue. Several scams in Noida Authority especially farmhouse allotment scam, developers plot allotment scam, developed plots to farmers against their acquired land scam damaged the Noida Authority's reputation.
An audit would certainly reveal and crack down on malpractice by Noida Authority. The suspension of chief engineer Yadav Singh, due to his alleged involvement in scams made headlines and it is likely more names of retired bureaucrats will follow
Earlier, the Akhilesh Yadav government had opposed of CAG auditing of GDA despite the UP governor and the Central government last year proposed auditing of the authority. Last year in June, a team had started an audit but it was discontinued as there was no clearance from the state government.
Satish Mahana, UP minister for industries will be visiting Noida on May 11 to take stock of the home buyer-builder issues. Mahana has scheduled meetings with home buyers and CREDAI members.
He will reach Noida around 11 am and stay till the evening. After holding a press conference at 5.45 pm, he will leave for Delhi.
This will be his third official visit in Noida after becoming the minister. After being sworn in, Mahana last month had visited Noida Authority and directed the officers to improve the work culture and image of Noida Authority. He had asked officers that the government would take stringent action against tainted officers.
Mahana, last month, had also visited Noida after a major fire had broken out in a factory in Noida, which had claimed six lives.
Ahead of Mahana's visit, the officers have geared up and are preparting reports to table during the meeting. Mahana will also review pipeline projectsl.
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