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Item Performance Audit on Mid Day Meal Scheme in Arunachal Pradesh (2009-2014)(CAG of India, 21-07-2015) CAG of IndiaThe ‘National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education’, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, commonly known as ‘Mid-Day Meal’ (MDM) Scheme, was launched with the primary objective of boosting the universalisation of primary education by increasing enrolment, retention & attendance and simultaneously improving nutritional status of primary school children. Performance Audit of the scheme revealed that the Department covered all Government Primary/Upper Primary Schools (3116), Government-aided Primary/Upper Primary Schools (68) and EGS/AIE Centres (155) in the State under the scheme. However, there were deficiencies like inadequate financial management, short-lifting of food grains, delay in release of funds to schools for meeting cooking costs, inadequate infrastructural facilities in schools and lack of monitoring by the Department. Some major audit findings are highlighted below: 1. No household surveys were conducted to identify the total number of children not enrolled at the Primary stage. No attempt was also made to encourage high level of enrolment through publicity, etc. 2. In 2010-11, against GoI total allocation of 6,687.66 MT of food grains for Primary/Upper Primary level, the Department lifted only 5,928.37 MT and during 2013-14, against the allocation of 6,625.01 MT of food grains for Primary/Upper Primary levels, only 6,598.95 MT were lifted, leading to shortlifting of 785.35 MT of food grains. 3. There was a shortfall in provision of 47,360 meals due to short receipt of food grains in 137 schools. 4. In six schools of West Kameng and Lohit District, 46.61 quintals (23 per cent) of the allotted rice was issued as dry rations instead of cooked meals, violating directives of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. 5. In 150 test-checked schools, pucca kitchen sheds were not available in 130 (87 per cent) schools; drinking water facilities in 35 (23 per cent) schools; gasbased chullahs in 148 (99 per cent) schools; and cooking utensils in 9 (6 per cent) schools. 6. During the period 2009-14, there were persistent savings ranging from 1 per cent to 32 per cent. 7. From 2009 to 2014, there were delays ranging up to 21 months in release of Central assistance by the State Government to the Nodal Department. 8. The State Government did not contribute its share, aggregating to ₹ 12.93 crore (63.69 per cent), towards Conversion Costs, Honorarium to cooks-cum-helpers and MME costs. 9. There were deficiencies in meetings of the State, District and Block Level Monitoring Cells to monitor implementation of the scheme. 10. Findings of evaluation studies conducted by an Independent Agency to assess the impact of the scheme were not discussed by the State SMC to address the deficiencies pointed out in the Evaluation Reports.Item Idle Expenditure on Laboratory Equipment and Software for Polytechnics and Govt Engineering Colleges in Chhattisgarh(CAG of India, 25-07-2015) CAG of IndiaProcurement of laboratory equipment and software without assessing the requirement and without ensuring the availability of necessary infrastructure to utilise the equipment resulted in idle expenditure of ₹ 8.62 crore.Item Undue Favour to a Firm for Setting up of Language Laboratories in Universities in Odisha(CAG of India, 20-09-2018) CAG of IndiaThe decision to award the work of setting up of LLs in 108 colleges of the State to a private firm on nomination basis was not in order. Further, there was no enrolment in 42 colleges where LLs were set up at the total cost of ₹ 8.64 crore.Item Performance Audit of Post Matric Scholarships for Scheduled Caste Students (All India Report 2012-2017)(CAG of India, 07-08-2018) CAG of IndiaAt the request of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, a performance audit of the implementation of the scheme covering a period of five years from 2012-13 to 2016-17 in five States of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh was undertaken by audit. The total expenditure incurred in the scheme in the five States was INR 18,647 crore during the period 2012-17 benefitting 1.36 crore students from the SC community. The performance audit of the implementation of the scheme brought out systemic gaps in scheme guidelines themselves as well as lack of planning, poor financial management and irregularities in disbursement of scholarship funds with a financial implication of ` 581.68 crore as well as discrepancies and inconsistencies in data generated through the web portals with an additional financial involvement of ` 455.98 crore that pointed to the need for a thorough review of the scheme guidelines as well as its implementation so as to ensure that the scheme funds were not misused or diverted for other purposes. Scheme guidelines, critical for laying down mechanism for various processes, were found deficient in many aspects. No mechanism was prescribed for any of the planning exercises of preparation of action plan/perspective plan for identification of eligible beneficiaries before submission of proposals for central assistance to the Ministry nor did the guidelines prescribe any timelines for submission of application by students and their scrutiny and approval. Consequently, there were delays in payment of scholarship to 18.58 lakh students ranging between one to six years in four States of Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. The guidelines also do not contain any provision for monitoring and evaluation that are essential for decision-makers to realistically evaluate the progress of the scheme and identify impediments to its efficient implementation. The implementation of the scheme was constrained by inadequate allocation of funds by the Central Government as well as poor financial management by the States. Government of India could not meet the growing demand for funds from the States which resulted in accumulation of arrears amounting to INR 5,368 crore in the five selected States. Even the available funds could not be fully utilised in three States of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh with INR 375.30 crore remaining undisbursed due to mismatch of bank details which resulted in depriving eligible students of the scholarships. Further, INR 28.94 crore of scholarship funds was diverted in Karnataka and Maharashtra for maintenance of e-scholarship portal and purchase of stationery, computers, etc., during 2012-17. The States also failed to ensure adherence to the scheme guidelines relating to eligibility of beneficiaries and procedures for processing of applications and disbursal of scholarship funds. Audit noted short reimbursement/denial of scholarship amounting to INR 125.82 crore in three States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Punjab. There was excess payment of scholarship of INR 49.67 crore to 1.88 lakh students in Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh during 2012-17 due to incorrect application of rates. In Uttar Pradesh, 374 ineligible students were reimbursed scholarship of INR 1.95 crore during 2012-17. Non-adherence to the scheme guidelines relating to revision of income ceiling by Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh with effect from academic session 2013-14 resulted in denial of benefit to eligible students in the States. The States of Punjab, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh were also not covering certain components of the scholarship viz. thesis allowance, book allowance, disability allowance, study tour charges. The Ministry was unable to implement PMS-SC through National Scholarship Portal due to technical issues and decided to implement the same through State portals. However, the State portals lacked both general and application controls required for ensuring access security and providing assurance that transactions are valid, authorized, complete and accurate. In Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, audit noticed discrepancies in data generated by the State portals with financial implication of INR 455.98 crore that necessitates a comprehensive investigation by Ministry as well as States to obviate the risk of irregular payment and malfeasance. Institutional mechanisms for monitoring and grievance redressal including internal audits, periodic inspections and appointment of grievance redressal officers were either not in place or practically non-operational. The Ministry had also not carried out any comprehensive evaluation of the implementation of the scheme to identify changes needed to enhance its effectiveness and ensure achievement of its objectives.Item Performance Audit of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) in Kerala (2006-2011)(CAG of India, 19-03-2013) CAG of IndiaThe Integrated Child Development Services launched in 1975 in India aims at holistic development of children up to six years ofage, adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating mothers by providing a package of services like supplementary nutrition, immunisation, health check up, nutrition and health education, etc. This performance review of the implementation of the scheme in Kerala for the period 2006-07 to 2010-11 revealed deficiencies in the implementation of the scheme such as delay in release offunds for scheme implementation, failure to cover the entire targeted population, etc., thereby defeating the basic objectives of the Scheme. Contrary to Government of India guidelines, Take Home Food delivered to children between six months and three years in the State was not fortified with micro-nutrients. The main audit findings are given below: 1. The department was not preparing any long term perspective plan. In the absence of the plan, there were deficiencies in creation of new AWCs and insufficiencies in the delivery of services to beneficiaries in various components in ICDS. 2. There was a shortage of 8,619 Anganwadi Centres (21 per cent) in the State. Fourteen additional Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), sanctioned in 2005 by GOI, were yet to be operationalized. 3. Many functional AWCs in the test checked ICDS projects were functioning in rented premises and lacked basic infrastructure facilities like safe drinking water, toilets, etc. 4. The percentage of child population who were not immunized against Polio and DPT in Palakkad and Malappuram districts were respectively 36 and 31. 5. The objective of universalization of Supplementary Nutrition Programme was not achieved as 56 to 66 per cent of the identified beneficiaries were not covered under the Scheme. 6. The percentage of malnourished children below the age of six years in the State ranged between 27 and 39. Test check of records in Idukki, Malappuram, Palakkad and Thiruvananthapuram districts indicated that 110 out of 1180 children who died during 2011-12, were severely malnourished. 7. GOI guidelines stipulating periodical weighment of child beneficiaries under Supplementary Nutrition Programme to assess their nutritional status was not adhered to during 2007-12. 8. Take Home Ration (THR) valued at % 257.38 crore was purchased from an agency which did not possess the mandatory BIS certification. It was also noticed that an amount of z 22.44 crore was overcharged by the supplier. In a number of cases, test results of the samples of the product were stated to be not satisfactory.Item Performance Audit of National Rural Health Mission in Delhi(CAG of India, 2010) CAG of IndiaThe National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) was launched on 12 April 2005 to provide health to all in an equitable manner. In National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, the Mission was launched on 2 October 2006. The funds are provided to the State Health Society on the basis of approval of State Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) by the Government of India. The performance audit on implementation of National Rural Health Mission in NCT (Delhi) revealed that Delhi Health Society did not have clear assessment of health care as evident from the utilization of the funds released by Government of India. There were significant shortages in medical and para-medical staff vis-a-vis requirement as per NRHM norms. Community involvement in the implementation of the scheme was lacking. IEC activities were not implemented uniformly as a few districts were completely ignored while releasing funds for IEC activities. NGOs have also not been actively involved, as no funds were released to them during the year 2008-09.Item Performance Audit on Implementation of Healthcare and Academics Management Information System in Maharashtra(CAG of India, 02-07-2019) CAG of IndiaThe vision of providing health information infrastructure which would support daily operations of the hospitals and also facilitate decision making to bring fundamental changes in healthcare and academic management in medical colleges and hospitals in the State was largely under achieved due to ineffective implementation of the Healthcare and Academics Management Information System (HMIS). Of the 16 modules, one module was fully implemented, 10 modules were partly implemented and five modules were not implemented in all 16 hospitals out of 19 hospitals. The HMIS is largely under-used and manual system was continued in all the 16 hospitals. Non-availability of complete healthcare data centrally has been a hindrance for disease surveillance in the State and may have restricted the State’s intervention to reduce the disease burden. The implementation of HMIS was not adequately monitored which resulted in the vision of healthcare management through HMIS remaining unfulfilled.Item Special Audit of Medical Education Projects of Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC)(CAG of India, 2015) CAG of India"This Report contains the result of Special audit of Medical Education Projects of Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) for the period 2008-09 to 2014-15. Employees’ State Insurance Scheme (ESIS) is an integrated social security scheme mandated to provide protection to workers and their dependants in the organized sector in contingencies such as sickness, maternity and death or disablement due to employment injury or occupational disease. The Government of India, Ministry of Labour and Employment in November 2014 requested the C&AG of India to conduct a special audit of 13 ongoing Medical Colleges Projects. It was specifically desired by the Ministry that the special audit may be taken up to address the following concerns • Whether due diligence was observed while deciding to take up medical education projects? • Whether these projects were able to fulfill the objectives envisaged under Section 59(B) of ESI Act? • Whether the provisions of General Financial Rules (GFRs) were followed while implementing these projects? The Ministry had requested the CAG to conduct special audit of 13 ongoing Medical Education Projects. We, however, noticed from the records that instead of 13 Medical Education Projects, ESIC had taken up setting up of 22 Medical Education Projects"Item Performance Audit of Trauma Care Centres in Andhra Pradesh(CAG of India, 2011) CAG of IndiaThe Government of India envisaged (November 1999) a scheme for developing a network of Trauma Care Centres (TCCs) along the Golden Quadrilateral, to provide emergency treatment to accident victims. The scheme involved provision of financial assistance for upgradation and strengthening of emergency facilities in State hospitals located on National Highways. The hospitals designated by the State Government and approved by GoI, were to be upgraded to Levels I to IV within a period of twelve months from the date of sanction. The grants covered various components like civil works, equipment, manpower, communication systems, training, legal assistance, etc. depending on the level of upgradation of a particular hospital. In Andhra Pradesh, 17 hospitals (Level-II: 9; Level-III: 8) were selected (2004-09) for upgradation as TCCs at a cost of INR 125.25 crore. As of August 2011, GoI released INR 49.08 crore to these hospitals. This performance audit reviewing the period 2004-05 to 2010-11 revealed that none of the 17 TCCs were fully operational as of August 2011 due to non-completion of civil works or, where the civil works had been completed, equipment had not been procured or, required manpower had not been put in place. Thus, the objective of providing basic life support and emergency care in the golden hour i.e., first hour of injury to accident victims in the Golden Quadrangle within Andhra Pradesh remains unachieved even after the lapse of over two to five years of necessary sanctions having been accorded by GoI.Item Infructuous Expenditure on Science and Technology Park at Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology Delhi(CAG of India, 30-06-2015) CAG of IndiaNon pursuance of the project of Science and Technology Park by Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology resulted in infructuous expenditure of ₹ 75.94 lakh on preparation of Detailed Project Report /Feasibility Report and advertisements.