From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Mar 9: As if giving grist to the charges of corruption levelled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP National President Amit Shah against the Congress government headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Karnataka’s Legislative Council Assurance Committee has found several cases of rampant corruption, irregularities and misappropriation of tax payers’ money by various State government departments.

In its report, the nine-member committee headed by JD(S) MLC Basavaraj Horatti said there was laxity on the part of principal secretaries of departments to take action against officials involved in corruption.

The nine-member committee, which probed into assurances made by the government on corruption/misuse/irregularities of funds, found that departments have not initiated inquiries against officials involved in misappropriation of public funds/corruption.

In several cases, the panel found delay in conducting enquiries and missing of files/documents, the committee felt.

"Several officials would have gone to jail if departments/Karnataka Lokayukta conducted impartial inquiries into corruption cases," Horatti said.

In 99% of the cases related to corruption, the Karnataka Lokayukta delayed completion of probes for several years or departments did not initiate action to ensure promotion/retirement benefits to corrupt officials, the report said.

In its report for the year 2016-17, the committee said crores of rupees have been misused on various departments owing to nexus between contractors and officials, violation of Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act, and laxity on the part of senior officers in monitoring works.

Attacking the State administration, Horatti said not a single assurance made on the floor of the House by Ministers or the Chief Minister was implemented within the stipulated period of three months.

Some of the assurances were not realised even after 15 years, the report said.

Delay in the implementation of assurances led to multiple increase in projects costs due to escalation of prices.
Violation of the KTPP Act contributed significantly to the escalation of cost. But neither action was taken against officials nor were any efforts made to recover money from officials who called tenders violating the Act.

With regard to land acquisition for the airport in Hubballi, the report said the Dharwad district administration has acquired 707 acres instead of required 600 acres.

Instead of returning the excess land to farmers, the administration has distributed the surplus land to industrialists, it noted.

The Horatti committee held 74 meetings and reviewed 1,379 assurances of 34 departments during 2016-17.