He also asserted that ever since he took over as a minister after the Congress came to power, not a single order was passed in KEONICS
Published Nov 10, 2023 | 11:51 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 10, 2023 | 12:00 PM
Priyank Kharge with Siddaramaiah. (X)
Karnataka Information Technology and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge on Thursday, 9 October, alleged that there was close to ₹500 crore of financial irregularities in the Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KEONICS) during the previous BJP government.
The IT-BT Minister claimed that the then-BJP government did not merely charge a “40 percent commission”, as his party had claimed during the Assembly election, but had collected a commission of more than 400 percent.
He also asserted that ever since he took over as a minister after the Congress came to power, not a single order has been passed in KEONICS, nor has any procurement taken place through the agency.
“The audit report shows financial irregularities close to ₹500 crore, which have taken place from 2019 to 2023. The previous BJP government was not a mere 40 percent commission government, but it had gone up to 400 percent commission. This is not me but the audit report that is saying this,” Kharge said at a press conference.
The minister’s statement came as some BJP leaders alleged that a KEONICS official demanded a bribe of ₹38 crore to clear bills to the tune of ₹300 crore. They even accused Kharge of being involved in it.
Kharge said that an investigation has been ordered and that the changes in the rules for accountability and transparency that the Congress government is introducing will create trouble for many former ministers and MLAs. This is why they are making these baseless allegations, he added.
“The BJP has been alleging that bill payment is not being done. Ask them how many bills are pending. Have they done any home work or produced any document to support their allegation? The pending bill is worth ₹16.27 crore. Ever since we came to power, payments were made to only manpower agencies,” the minister explained.
When in power @BJP4Karnataka indulged in blatant corruption.
The audit of KEONICS by Accountant General Office has come up with a report that nails 500 Cr misappropriation by the previous #40PercentSarkara
The AG has just audited 15% of the works/projects and found this massive…— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) November 10, 2023
According to him, only those bills are pending where third-party inspection has not taken place.
He also charged that after the Congress came to power, “we stopped the businesses that were going on for the past three to four years, which annoyed them,” adding, “If we go into the roots to find out the origin of this accusation, we know on whose beat they are dancing.”
Admitting that some bills may not have been cleared, the minister said that genuine vendors whose bills are due have not raised an issue.
Stating that government never holds back the money of any individual, he said that they will get the money after verification.
In a press note, the minister revealed some of the findings of the Accountant General Audit Team.
There was an extra burden of ₹47.76 crore on the client departments due to procurement of items and goods at higher rates between 2018 and 2023, he said, giving the details.
For example, KEONICS spent ₹24.15 lakh on each of the computer labs set up in the tribal welfare department, whose market value was only ₹5.09 lakh. KEONICS procured 40 such units which led to a financial implication’ (loss) of ₹7.63 crore, he explained.
A payment of ₹76.5 crore was made without conducting a third-party inspection. Further, ₹71.5 crore was paid without obtaining photo proof and the inspection report.
Using a forged third-party inspection report towards the supply of material, payment of ₹9.98 crore was made. The auditors also found two sets of delivery challans before and after the supply of goods, he said.
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