Delhi LG approves inquiry, special audit on allegations of misuse of govt funds in functioning of DCPCR

New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has approved a proposal of the Department of Women and Child Development to institute an inquiry and ordered a special audit into allegations of misuse of government funds in the functioning of the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR).

According to Raj Bhavan officials, while processing the allocation of the budget for DCPCR for the revised estimates and budget estimates for the financial years 2022-23 and 2023-24 respectively, it was noticed by the DWCD that the demand from the DCPCR has increased exponentially in the recent years from a mere Rs 2 crore in 2017-18 to Rs 15.20 crore in the current financial year.

The official said that it was also found that the DCPCR was incurring expenditures and engaging itself in activities beyond its mandate and scope of work particularly in the case of Central Government schemes such as Integrated Child Development Schemes (ICDS), Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) and POSHAN Abhiyan.

"The WCD Department found that the salary components in DCPCR had increased from a mere Rs 17 lakh in 2017-18 to Rs 2 crore in the current financial year, as several consultants were hired and the salary of Chairperson and members was increased without following laid down procedures, which envisage that any increase needs approval of the LG," the official said.

The official also noted that the DWCD accordingly proposed that an inquiry may be instituted in the matter and a special audit should be undertaken about the misuse of government funds before any further request for allocation of funds is entertained.

During the examination of the matter by the Directorate of Vigilance, several discrepancies were found, including the fact that the DCPCR functioning under the administrative control of the DWCD was not adhering to the provisions as envisaged in the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005 and DCPCR Rules, 2008, GFR, Government Notifications etc.

It also found that it was not replying properly to the audit of CAG and test audit notes, incurring expenditures, engaging itself in activities beyond its mandate and scope of work, not submitting utilisation details to the administrative department as per DCPCR Rules, 2008, before demanding further funds as the rules provide.

It said that the DWCD was not taking approval of the competent authority for increasing the salary of the Chairman and members of the Commission, recruiting the staff without taking approval of the administrative department.

The official said that Saxena also directed that no further request for allocation of funds by DCPCR will be entertained before the completion of inquiry and Special Audit.

The Vigilance Department after examination of the file and all the information given by the DWCD has concluded that the audit teams while conducting the audit of accounts of DCPCR in the preceding years and by going through respective audit paras and Test Audit Notes raised the related issues, which has not been answered by DCPCR.