Bhubaneswar: The Principal Accountant General (PAG) has raised serious concerns over alleged financial irregularities and procedural violations in the purchase of Mahindra Thar vehicles by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Wildlife, using State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) money.
In a strongly worded letter to Chief Secretary Anu Garg, the AG has demanded strict action, terming the entire transaction as non-compliant with SDRF guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. According to the communication, the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) sanctioned Rs 28.45 crore in July 2024 in favour of PCCF (Wildlife) for “capacity building,” specifically for procuring Thar Jeeps meant for forest protection.
However, the AG observed that this sanction does not conform to SDRF norms. Funds under the “Preparedness and Capacity Building” window cannot be used for establishment-related expenditure or routine administrative purposes, including purchase of vehicles for departmental use. The total cost of procurement and modification of the Jeeps was Rs 21.7 crore, leaving the status of the remaining amount unclear.
The AG pointed out that the SRC lacked the competent authority to approve such expenditure. Any spending under this head requires recommendation of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and approval of the State Executive Committee (SEC) headed by the Chief Secretary.
Adding to the concerns, the sanction order issued by the Forest and Environment Department in September 2024 incorrectly described the expenditure as “Central Government Contribution to Reserve Fund,” which the AG called factually incorrect and misleading.
The bill was presented to the Treasury under the same head, resulting in misclassification of accounts. Furthermore, the entire amount was reportedly transferred to the HDFC savings bank account of PCCF (Wildlife), a move that raises serious questions about procedural propriety and compliance with financial rules. During the same period, the Forest Department had surrendered Rs 23.38 crore, which could have been re-appropriated for vehicle purchase instead of diverting SDRF funds.
The AG has highlighted a serious breakdown of internal controls, supervisory lapses, and systemic weaknesses in financial management that require urgent intervention at the highest level.
The letter has urged the Chief Secretary to initiate exemplary action against all officials involved, including the Office Assistant who processed the bills, the Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO), and the Treasury Officers who authorised the irregular drawals.
