Public health dept initiates probe into alleged misuse of funds by district malaria officers

Public health department has launched probe into alleged misuse of funds received under the District Planning Committee by district malaria officers of 22 districts, officials said on Monday

PUNE: The public health department has initiated an investigation into the alleged misuse of funds received under the District Planning Committee by district malaria officers (DMOs) of 22 districts, officials said on Monday.

Public health department has launched probe into alleged misuse of funds received under the District Planning Committee by district malaria officers of 22 districts, officials said on Monday. ((PIC FOR REPRESENTATION))

Following complaints received by the department, Sachin Chate, joint director of health services, on Friday, November 22, issued orders to Dr B S Kamlapurkar, joint director of water and vector-borne diseases’ control programme, to conduct a special audit of the funds received and purchase and payments undertaken by the DMOs.

As per the orders, a special audit of the funds received and allocated for the years 2017-2018 to 2021-2022 by DMOs from Pune, Washim, Nagpur, Hingoli, Chandrapur, Palghar, Yavatmal, Gadchiroli, Buldhana, Nandurbar, Raigad, Dhule, Ahmednagar, Wardha, Bhandara, Gondia, Thane, Nashik, Amravati, Nanded, Akola and Jalgaon will be conducted. Every year, around ₹11 crore to ₹12 crore is received by the DMOs through the District Planning Committee.

Chate said, “Previously, the commissioner of health services had directed the heads of departments to conduct audits of offices under their jurisdiction. The organisation comes under the joint director’s office and the letter was sent for further action.”

Health activist Sharad Shetty had complained to the health department saying that it was found that rules were not being followed during purchase and payments made to supplier companies. He claimed that undue benefits were being provided to these companies.

Shetty said that after finding out that funds were being misappropriated, he requested a special audit of all offices to uncover the financial irregularities. “Administrative action should be taken against any officers or staff involved in these discrepancies. Local purchase of ₹5,000 is allowed to the DMOs but not over ₹50,000 in a year. The DMO cannot make local purchases of more than ₹5,000 and up to ₹3 lakh without tenders. However, rules were not followed by the DMOs,” Shetty said.