CAG report listed flaws in Badals' 'Sangat Darshan': Cong

Chandigarh, Oct 29 (UNI) Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira today requested Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to immediately discontinue his 'Sangat Darshan' programmes in which public funds of the state were being used in an illegitimate manner.

Quoting from the report of Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) for the year 2003, the Congress leader said there were serious flaws in the ''Sangat Darshan'' programme of the Chief Minister.

The CAG in its report has concluded that ''Use of the Sangat Darshan'' programme as a mode for disbursement of funds was not only unauthorised, but also an act of excess as it vitiated the settled norms of public accountability by compromising the limits of procedural safeguards accompanying the withdrawal and disbursement procedure, he said while pointing out that funds were irregularly distributed without guidelines during Mr Badal's previous tenure from 1997 to 2002.

''This is in my view is very serious and alarming observations by an important watch dog of our financial system and hence it calls for an immediate review of the 'Sangat Darshan' programme, which Mr Badal has again adopted in his present tenure'', Mr Khaira added.

The Vidhan Sabha Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in its last meeting held on October 27 had summoned the Chief Secretary in person to explain the inordinate delay in replying to the CAG report, the Congress MLA who is also a member of PAC stated.

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