Internal audit flags Rs 709 crore irregularities in Jal Shakti ministry schemes

New Delhi: An internal audit review of the Jal Shakti ministry for 2023-24 has flagged financial irregularities amounting to over Rs 709 crore across key water and sanitation schemes.

The report highlighted blocked funds, unauthorised spending, idle machinery, and violations in procurement procedures.

According to the Annual Internal Audit Review, Rs 525.96 crore worth of government funds remain blocked.

These include unspent balances under the Atal Bhujal Yojana in Maharashtra and Haryana, as well as issues like excess expenditure, irregular expenditure in states such as Kerala and Bihar.

The audit also revealed Rs 23.56 crore in irregular expenditure, largely due to overspending beyond approved limits for administrative and IEC (Information, Education, Communication) activities under SBM-G.

In multiple instances, funds were diverted for ineligible expenses, and several purchases were made without following government e-marketplace (GeM) or tender procedures, leading to further unauthorised purchases worth Rs 10.82 crore.

The audit report said the non-recovery of government dues from central government department/state government/government bodies and private parties stood at Rs 19.05 crore.

In total, the internal audit wing of the ministry reported financial irregularities worth Rs 70,925.02 lakh (Rs 709.25 crore) across its departments, including non-recovery of dues, irregular expenditures, and unutilized funds.

Idle and damaged machinery valued at Rs 1.32 crore was also discovered lying unused across several field offices.

At the end of the financial year, 3,752 audit paras remained outstanding, up from 3,417 the previous year - even after special camps were held in June and July 2023 to settle pending cases.

In auditing, "audit paras" or "audit paragraphs" refer to specific findings or observations identified by auditors during an audit process. These are detailed statements that highlight irregularities, non-compliance, or areas needing improvement within an organization's operations or financial records.

The Internal Audit Wing also cited staff shortages and lack of specialised training as key challenges, recommending targeted capacity building in risk-based audit methods to ensure more effective oversight in future.

The total budget allocations for three schemes are Rs 7,192 crore for SBM-G, Rs 1,000 crore for Atal Bhujal Yojana, and Rs 500 crore for the National Hydrology Project.