Ex-ministers will have to cough up cash

Ex-ministers will have to cough up cash
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

MUMBAI, Feb 23: Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has ordered recovery of money from Cabinet members of the erstwhile Sena-BJP government as well as senior bureaucrats, following stringent observations made by the Principal Accountant General (PAG) against them.

``The report of the PAG has been brought to my notice. I have asked the concerned departments to recover the outstanding dues from the cabinet members of the erstwhile Sena-BJP government as well as senior bureaucrats,'' Deshmukh told media persons after the weekly cabinet meeting.

Deshmukh said according to the report, there was gross violation of the rules prescribed by the Ministry of Finance and External Affairs as well as the Bombay Financial Rules by the cabinet members and bureaucrats with regard to foreign tours.

``We will recover the money. I have already asked the law judiciary department to examine the modalities for recovery,'' the Chief Minister.

In its four-page report submitted to Chief Secretary Arun Bongirwar, the PAG had pointed out that there was violation of rules by former Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde, former Ministers Datta Rane, Daulatrao Aher, Eknath Khadse, former Chief Secretary P Subrahmanyam, Maharashtra State Electricity Board Chairman Asoke Basak, Industries Secretary Yeshwant Bhave, Commissioner of Police R H Mendonca, Director of Technical Education P K Patil and PWD Chief Engineer U B Borge.

Mendonca has, however, denied he had caused any loss to the government. The PAG report had stated that Mendonca had taken advance of Rs 89500, but did not submit the bills as required under the rules. In a statement issued by his office, Mendonca said he had, in accordance with the rules, taken an advance of Rs 89,500 which was spent on the ``air and rail tickets only''. He said during his visit to The Hague, the government of Netherlands took care of hospitality but during his visit to London he spent money on board and lodging and transport to the extent of Rs 53,600. ``I have claimed reimbursement of this amount on August 21, 1998, and am waiting for the reimbursement order so I can file my final bill. As such I do not owe the government any money,'' Mendonca told this paper.

BOGUS CASTE CERTIFICATES: On the cabinet decisions, Deshmukh said it was decided to bring in two comprehensive legislation to curb issuance of bogus caste certificates and illegal and unauthorised recruitments in government departments.

It was found that at least 57 percent of the caste certificates produced by Scheduled Tribes for securing admission to professional colleges or jobs, were bogus. ``The proposed legislation will provide for complete ban on issuance of such certificates. We will also ensure that a person, who gives a bogus certificate as well as the beneficiary will be sentenced to imprisonment of six months as well as fine. Similarly, if there is no sanction of the competent authority before recruitment of a person, the official, who takes the decision will be dismissed from the government,'' Deshmukh said.

On the on-going row over payment to cotton growers, Deshmukh admitted that there was some delay, however, in the same breathe, the Chief Minister said all the outstanding dues will be cleared by the end of February. ``So far we have paid all the dues upto January 10. For the remaining period, financial assitance has been sought from cooperative banks as well as leading financial institutions,'' he added.

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