Assam Governor takes steps regarding irregularities in university funds

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam Governor’s Secretariat recently furnished a reply to an RTI query from Amguri Nabanirman Samitee (ANS) with information on the steps taken by the Governor on the matter of alleged irregularities in the expenditure of funds allocated to four universities in the state.

The ANS had written to the Governor of Assam, being the Chancellor of universities in Assam, to provide information on steps taken by him regarding the alleged irregularities.

The letter by ANS, addressed to the State Information Officer at the Governor’s Secretariat, stated that ANS sought the details from the Governor under provisions of the RTI Act, 2005, on the strength of a direction issued by the Gauhati High Court in PIL (5/2021).

It should be mentioned here that the PIL (5/2021) was filed by ANS regarding alleged irregularities in the expenditure of funds allocated to the universities by the government.

The four universities named in the letter are: Gauhati University, Tezpur University, Dibrugarh University, and Assam Agriculture University.

The HC stated on February 3, 2021, “We do not say anything on the merits of the case, but, considering that these are all autonomous bodies, in case there is such an allegation, it would be only just and fair if the petitioner first approaches the Chancellor of the concerned Universities with detailed representations, as we expect the Chancellor to take a decision on those representations”.

Thereafter, the State Public Information Officer at the Governor’s Secretariat, on October 16, 2023, provided a reply to the letter from ANS, stating the following information on the steps taken by the Governor in his capacity as the Chancellor of Universities:

The reply stated that the Chancellor (Governor) had called the Principal Accountant General (Audit), Assam, for a discussion on the matter of audit observations in respect of the four universities.

Also, the Chancellor separately called a meeting with the Vice Chancellors and Registrars of the four universities for detailed discussion on pending audit observations at Raj Bhavan, Assam.

It was further stated that another meeting was called by the Chancellor at Raj Bhavan, Assam, in which the Principal Accountant General (Audit), Assam; the Principal Secretary to Government of Assam, Agriculture Department; the Principal Secretary to Government of Assam, Finance Department; the Principal Secretary to Government of Assam, Higher Education Department; and the Vice Chancellors and Registrars of the four universities were called.

Moreover, it said that the Chancellor directed all four vice chancellors of the universities to take the necessary action to respond to the pending audit objections and observations on a priority basis. Universities were directed to take up the matter of audit objections with the office of the Accountant General, Assam, and submit all the replies along with supporting documents.

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