00:00 The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has come out with a report on misallocation
00:09 and misuse of public funds in three significant projects.
00:13 The audits show financial discrepancies and have advised increased transparency and accountability.
00:20 Ever since these reports were tabled in the Parliament on 10 August, the opposition has
00:25 been in the arms, attacking the government on its work in road, aviation and welfare
00:30 projects.
00:31 The CHE report highlights concerns over the Dwarka Express project in Delhi NCR.
00:35 Originally approved at Rs 8.2 crore per kilometre, the project's cost went up to Rs 250.7 crore
00:42 per kilometre.
00:43 The report also questions decisions like constructing an eight-lane elevated main carriageway and
00:49 a six-lane at-grade road.
00:51 Toll rates and tolling mechanisms have also been questioned.
00:55 The CHE report also states that the National Highway Authority of India or NHAI has been
01:00 collecting tolls in many places in violation of toll plaza rules.
01:05 The audit was conducted at 41 randomly selected toll plazas across the five southern states
01:09 of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Telangana.
01:13 Either toll was collected at higher rates even after deduction or rates were revised
01:17 upwards even though it was stipulated otherwise.
01:20 This resulted in an excess collection of Rs 132.05 crore at just those 41 toll plazas.
01:28 The report also talks about what it calls financial misallocations of nearly Rs 60 crore
01:33 in six states which impacted fund allocation to welfare schemes.
01:38 The CHE found irregularities in the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan
01:43 Arogya Yojana or PMJAY health insurance scheme.
01:47 A total of Rs 6.97 crore was disbursed for the treatment of 3,446 patients who were recorded
01:54 as deceased in the schemes database.
01:57 The CHE report also found funds from the National Social Assistance Programme or NSAP were diverted
02:03 by the Ministry of Rural Development.
02:05 From 2017 to 2021, approximately Rs 2.83 crore meant for NSAP activities like old-age pension
02:12 schemes etc. were diverted into government schemes.
02:16 The CHE report on the Regional Connectivity Scheme (UDAN) under the Ministry of Civil
02:20 Aviation has found that up to March 2021, 52% of the sanctioned routes were not functional.
02:26 UDAN, a regional connectivity scheme launched in 2016, is meant to make air travel affordable
02:32 to the masses in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
02:36 In a post in Hindi on X, Congress's Mallika Junkhalde said that the PM Modi's government's
02:41 promise of enabling those wearing slippers to travel by air has not been fulfilled, just
02:46 like all the other promises.
02:48 Questioning the PM's silence, Congress spokesperson Supriya Srinathe has demanded
02:53 a probe.
03:12 What is your response to this?
03:32 What is your response to this?
03:58 What is your response to this?
04:27 DMC national spokesperson Ripun Bora said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his independence
04:32 day speech from Red Fort declared the crusade against corruption.
04:35 But it is surprising that the Prime Minister and BJP leaders are silent on the very serious
04:40 financial and scams which are exposed in CAG's report."
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04:48 (dramatic music)
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