CAG raps Mizoram Police

Aizawl, Apr 6 (UNI) The Mizoram Police department, which drew flak from the state's opposition parties on several occasions, has now come under the scanner of the Comptroller&Auditor General of India.

In its annual report for the year ending March 31, 2007, the CAG criticised that the evaluation of the internal controls and internal audit system in the Mizoram Police department revealed weaknesses and non-compliance with rules in areas of cash management, expenditure control and organisational controls.

The CAG was clearly unhappy with the department for its lapses in financial control in all types of expenditure.

For instance, the department had made withdrawals through AC bills an amount of Rs 18.61 crore during a period of four years from 2002 to 2006 of which Rs 14.55 crore, 78 percent of the total withdrawals, was drawn in the last quarter at the financial fag ends.

Out of the total funds withdrawn, the department had deposited Rs 7.86 crore in civil deposits during the same period.

The report also lashed out at the department for failing to regularise these AC bills through DCC (detailed contingent bills) which the department took four to 11 months to furnish for the Rs 18.61 crore it had drawn through AC bills.

Stating that the police department lacked proper planning while executing works, the report pointed out an instance where the Lunglei SP's office had been constructed at a total cost of Rs 55.42 lakh under the Modernisation of Police Force (MPF) scheme.

The report stated that the building, after completion, remained unoccupied because of its isolated location and steep incline of the approach road.

The building was exchanged with the MPRO for a plot of land and the SP at present still occupies a rented building at a cost of Rs 8740 per month.

UNI