In an unusual development which has raised many eyebrows, an amount worth Rs 4.5 lakh, pertaining to funds issued by the government under the National Health Mission (NHM) have been labelled as ‘un-accounted expenses’, by the health departement.
Despite reminders regarding the same by civil surgeon Dr Rajiv Bhalla the Fazilka district account officer (DAO) in health department, Sanjeev Kumar failed to turn up at his office.
Bhalla in a letter to the DAO has asked for explanation of records pertaining to these expenditures, failing to do so Bhalla has warned to write to NHM mission director, to take suitable action against him if he did not give written reply.
As per the copy of the letter with HT, the civil surgeon has mentioned a list of expenditures and told that several telephonic requests were made for the same.
“You (referring to Sanjeev Kumar) have failed to give answer related to the queries nor submitted any record,” stated the copy.
The letter reads that when Kumar was account officers, many bills were cleared by him.
{{/usCountry}}The letter reads that when Kumar was account officers, many bills were cleared by him.
{{/usCountry}}The expenses stated in the copy are ,Rs 95,834 for NHM, Rs 71,209 expenses for immunization’s office, Rs 1, 766, 74 for Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight (IDCF), Rs 40,960 for computer consumable and Rs 1,67,559 for National Vector Borne Disease (NVBD).
The civil surgeon further questioned him regarding procedure concerning the above mentioned expenses, stock entries and to whom these were issued.
It is pertinent to mention here that a vigilance probe is also on to check alleged financial irregularities in the purchase by civil surgeon’s office.
The vigilance sleuths have so far failed to complete the probe within a mandatory period of three months.
The Jalandhar vigilance bureau (VB) had questioned former civil surgeon Dr RL Bassan on March 22.
It also recorded statements of nine members who were part of the then purchasing committees including, former district health officer, purchase clerk Raj Pal, Sanjeev Kumar and others.
The probe was shifted to Hoshiarpur VB in the wake of representations made to department’s higher officials in Chandigarh in May.
Presently, the probe for the same is derailed as the investigation officer is reportedly on leave.