Congress demands probe into CAG findings

BHUBANESWAR: The Congress on Wednesday demanded a high-level probe into the irregularities and failure in the implementation of different schemes as pointed out by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its latest report.Raising the issue during zero hour, Santosh Singh Saluja (Cong) alleged that the CAG had exposed large-scale irregularities in the implementation of  the schemes.  Alleging that guidelines were flouted in the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), he said that the State exchequer lost crores because of favours shown to some contractors.  The Government could reach only 54 per cent of the target in the implementation of the PMGSY because of the tardy  implementation of the scheme, he said and added that it had failed to utilise Central grant because of this.  Delay in preparation of  the Annual Action Plan (AAP) deprived the State of Central assistance of Rs. 449.78 crore from 2006 to 2010, he said and demanded that there should be a probe into these irregularities and  incompetence of the Government.Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh also alleged that the CAG report has exposed irregularities and delay in the implementation of different programmes which caused loss to the State exchequer.