VTU accounts audit brings out flaws galore

A government audit of the accounts of Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) between 2000-01 and 2006-07 has brought to light a number of discrepencies and large-scale losses running into crores of rupees.    

According to the report, advances given out to various sections and officers of VTU to the tune of Rs 28.32 crore since 1998 were not recovered even till March 2007.

In fact, there was no provision ‘of paying advances’ in the university rules, resulting in a clear violation, the report notes. An advance amount of Rs 5.37 crore was paid between 1998 and 2003, the report notes, adding that the amount had been outstanding for more than four years.

However, as such, there was “no reason for non-adjustment/recovery of advances,” the report stated. 

For the construction of buildings at VTU campus, as part of phase-I (at an estimated cost of 9.23 crore) and the work on quarters, auditorium club, sports complex (at an estimated cost of Rs 19.05 crore), the university did not take any administrative approval or technical sanctions from the government and chief engineers, respectively.

The university lost lakhs of rupees due to excess payment for infrastructure works and other repairs, according to the report.

The work on providing pathways between regional repairs and post-graduate blocks, for example, was completed at Rs 37.08 lakh, instead of a tendered amount of Rs 28.06 lakh. Similarly, the university had to pay an excess amount of Rs 31.12 lakh for infrastructure repair works, instead of the original tendered amount of Rs 29.06 lakh.

Further, Rs 6.11 crore was the amount collected as refunded fees in 2004-05. However the report notes that, ‘to verify the correctness of the payment, no records were made available for audit’.

Without tenders

In 2004-05 and 2005-06, a total 245 laptops were purchased from one company, without calling for tenders or quotations, in violation of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act, 1999.

Another 167 laptops were purchased in 2006-07. However, in all three years, there was no assessment report brought out.

As a result, there was a loss of Rs 32.28 lakh, due to the excess purchase of 62 pieces more than required.

Dr Maheshappa, vice-chancellor of VTU, was unavailabe for comment.