AAU VC refutes allegation of fund misappropriation

From a Correspondent

JORHAT, April 29:  Denying the allegations of misappropriation of fund, Assam Agricultural University Vice Chancellor Dr KM Bujarbaruah on Wednesday said that no report of irregularities of expenditure was reported by the audit authorities of the Central and State government in the last five years.

He said that the authorities scrutinized every audited utilization certificate (AUC) submitted to the Central Government with due procedure after the allotted funds were spent.

Simply citing a list of expenditure, Dr Bujarbaruah said that out of Rs 200 crore alleged to have been misappropriated, Rs 110 crore was spent on the salary of the employees of the Centrally funded projects while around Rs 50 crore was spent in Lakhimpur Veteriry College, Fishery College, Dhubri Agricultural College, Home Science College and other colleges, which are functioning under AAU.

According to him around Rs 20 crore was given for the equipments which were purchased by the teachers for centrally funded projects and about Rs15 crore was allotted for farmer related expenditure which was spent by the directorates of research and extension for various research and farming activities.

When asked about the intention of leveling allegations of corruption against him, the VC refused to comment. However, he said that he had challenged the order of probe against him by the Chancellor “as it was not in conformity with the Assam Agricultural University Act, 1968”