MISUSE OF UGC FUNDS
By Our Staff Reporter
Guwahati, Aug 16: A University Grants Commission (UGC) committee, that detected misuse of crores of funds in Dhemaji College, has recommended stopping further grants to the institution which is in its golden jubilee year.
“On detailed scrutiny of expenditure vouchers of UGC grants-in-aid, the team is of the view that the college had not properly utilized the funds released by the UGC under various schemes. Forged utilization certificates were submitted to the sanctioning authority. Hence, it is recommended that no further grants in aid be sanctioned to Dhemaji College under any scheme till the case is filly cleared by the Central Vigilance Commission,” the report of the inquiry committee, comprising Accounts Officer AK Garg and Deputy Director RC Bhatt, said.
In fact, last month, the Under Secretary of the UGC even dashed off a letter to the Principal of the college, asking for refund of a Rs 5 lakh grant approved for the ‘Certificate Course in IT’.
According to a complaint received by the UGC, funds to the tune of crores of rupees sanctioned to the college between 2008 and 2012 under various schemes, were misappropriated — prompting the commission to set up a probe.
“The utilization certificates submitted to UGC do not tally with the vouchers submitted to the team. The records of equipments or books have not been maintained properly due to which physical verification of assets acquired from UGC grants could not be ascertained,” the inquiry report, available with The Sentinel, stated.
It said that heavy expenditure was incurred on the payment of TA/DA/honorarium to resource persons or participants of meetings, workshops and semirs. “But no details of the resource persons – such as mes, desigtions, addresses etc were made available. No journey details, tickets, mode of travel are available…only money receipts have been furnished. In such cases, genuineness of the claims are totally doubtful,” it said.
Tenders and quotations were not invited for purchase of books and other goods or while execution of different works done in “pick and choose manner.”
Dhemaji College was recognised as College with Potential for Excellence (CPE) by the UGC in 2010.