Patna, Mar 25 (UNI) Due to the failure of the Bihar government 2,60,082 workers did not receive funds under the COVID-19 Special Grant Scheme, amounting to Rs 52.02 crore, for the financial year 2020-21, according to a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General ( CAG) of India.

Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary tabled the CAG report(Performance and Compliance Audit- Civil) of the Bihar government for the year ended 31 March 2022 in the state assembly on Tuesday.

The report said that due to the failure of transactions, 3,02,476 workers were deprived of Annual Medical Assistance amounting to Rs 90.75 crore, during financial years 2018-21, while 2,60,082 workers also did not receive funds under the COVID-19 Special Grant Scheme, amounting to Rs 52.02 crore, for financial year 2020-21.

The CAG in its report detected that the Bihar government framed Bihar Building and Other Construction Workers Rules (BBOCW Rules) with a delay of nine years and the Bihar Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (BBOCWWB) had been constituted with a delay of 28 months.

Further, the Board and the State Advisory Committee (SAC) had not been reconstituted, after February 2015.

According to the report the Board had not notified the rates for calculating the cost of construction, resulting in non-uniformity in the adoption of the rates by the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). Instances of a non or short collection of cess, collection of cess through cash, non-remittance or delayed remittance or remittance of the cess to the Board in improper head, and non-collection of installments of the cess, were noticed during the audit.

The report revealed that during the financial years 2019-22, Rs 246.11 crore transferred to the Board’s head of account in the treasuries were not transferred to its bank account.

The Inspectors appointed by the Board did not conduct any inspections of the construction sites or premises, during financial years 2017-22 in six sampled districts.

The CAG found a large accumulation of funds, amounting to Rs 1,650.06 crore as of 31 March 2022 as the board did not prepare its budgets, during financial years 2017-22 following which 3,02,476 workers were deprived of Annual Medical Assistance amounting to Rs 90.75 crore, during financial years 2018-21 and 2,60,082 workers also did not receive funds under the COVID-19 Special Grant Scheme, amounting to Rs 52.02 crore, for the financial year 2020-21 due to failure of transactions.

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