SCERT financial irregularities: Most firms have fake GST numbers

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Chief Minister’s Special Vigilance Cell (SVC), which is probing into the alleged financial anomalies in the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Assam, is now examining the documents of the firms that were given work contracts.

Sources said that during examination, it was found that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) numbers of many of these firms were fake. The CM’s SVC will also send the Permanent Account Numbers (PAN) of these firms to the Income Tax Department for verification.

The CM’s SVC is probing fund misappropriation to the tune of Rs 105 crore in the SCERT, Assam in the name of offering Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) course under Open Distance Learning (ODL). The alleged financial irregularities took place between 2017 to 2022. After the allegations of financial anomalies surfaced, the Assam Government suspended IAS officer Sewali Devi Sarma, Secretary to the Assam Government, Agriculture Department. She was the then in-charge Director of SCERT, Assam.

Sources said that as per the findings of the initial probe, Sewali Devi Sarma had opened five bank accounts during her tenure as in-charge Director of SCERT, Assam. She allegedly transferred funds from these official bank accounts to the accounts of other employees and then withdrew the money from those accounts. Sources also said that Sewali Devi Sarma flouted guidelines and rules and started 347 centres for D.El.Ed course under Open Distance Learning (ODL) – 288 more than the number of centres for which the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) had given permission. Most of these centres were allegedly fake.

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