State to appoint IAS officer to look into irregularities at Pune institute

The Maharashtra government has decided to depute an IAS officer to probe the financial irregularities at Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research Training and Human Development

The Maharashtra government has decided to depute an IAS officer to probe the financial irregularities at Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research Training and Human Development Institute (SARTHI) in Pune, said state OBC, VJNT minister Vijay Wadettiwar on Friday.

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Wadettiwar said a preliminary investigation by relief and rehabilitation department secretary Kishor Raje Nimbalkar found that the institute has spent only ₹12 crore on students while the rest ₹42 crore was used for making office purchases, paying salaries and giving advertisements.

“Of the total ₹54 crore budget sanctioned by the state, the institute spent ₹5.61 crore to set up offices and computers, ₹2.5 crore for advertisements, ₹2.21 crore to pay salaries. They also recruited 381 new staffers which was not required,” the minister said.

The government has decided to appoint an IAS officer as a managing director of the institute who will also conduct the probe and submit its report to the government. “Based on the report, further action will be determined,” Wadettiwar said.