SPIC bought 3 SUVs without approval, spent ₹2 lakh on water, says audit report

SPIC has been set up under the aegis of the department of information technology, Chandigarh administration, for implementing various plans to promote IT industry in Chandigarh.

The local audit department in their special audit has detected that the Society for Promotion of Information and Technology (SPIC) has made high purchases of various items, which could have been saved or should have been done by a competent authority.

HT File

The audit was conducted for the period of from April 1, 2015, to March 31, 2018.

SPIC has been set up under the aegis of the department of information technology, Chandigarh administration, for implementing various plans to promote IT industry in Chandigarh.

The society purchased Toyata Innova SUV worth Rs12 lakh without ratification from the governing body and model of the car was changed from seven seater to eight seater without the approval of the competent authority.

Then another Innova car was purchased in 2017-18, which cost ₹14 lakh and this too was done without the approval of the executive committee. A Toyata Camry worth ₹32 lakh was purchased in 2015-16, without the approval.

During the period of three years, SPIC purchased drinking water worth ₹2 lakh, and the audit report pointed that a water cooler with Reverse Osmosis (RO) system worth ₹25000 could have been installed and would have saved public money. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the society in 2014-15 extended the contract for advertisements by two years, which has not been according to the terms and conditions of the original contract, found the audit.

Hired 10 laptops for media on Yoga Day

SPIC hired 10 laptops for the media on International Yoga Day in 2016 for two days and paid ₹20,000. The audit said what was the need of hiring the laptops for two days, when yoga is organised for a few hours. Moreover, Yoga Day was organised by the Chandigarh administration.

The society paid ₹15 lakh as penalty to the income tax department in December 2017 without approval of a competent authority. Even the amount was not entered in the account books for 2017-18 and no accountability was fixed for this lapse.

The society also purchased roller blind for the new Sampark Centre in Sector 32 worth ₹3 lakh in 2016, which was done on just quotations and in violation of general financial rules.

₹5.5 lakh reimbursement of mobile bill

The society paid reimbursement of mobile monthly bill of ₹5.5 lakh to SPIC in addition to internet allowance without adhering to the instructions of the central government. The audit also pointed out the payment of more than ₹10 lakh was paid on the account of 39 dongles to the staff.