| J&K Govt failed to distribute 10,000 free TV, DTH sets? | | 8 years on, state yet to submit utilization certificate | | Saahil Suhail
Early Times Report
Anantnag, Mar 10: Jammu and Kashmir Government's failure to submit utilization certificate to Doordarshan has cast doubt on free distribution 10,000 TV and DTH sets worth more than Rs 9 Crore that state received in 2008-09.
Jammu based activist, Mohammad Sadiq Poswal had approached Minister of Information and Broadcasting and sought details of TV and DTH sets that state received from Doordarshan. These sets were supposed to be distributed in far-flung areas of the state.
The activist, through RTI, demanded a utilization certificate from the Ministry, however it only provided him the receipt of nodal officers of Kashmir and Jammu divisions certifying that they have received 10,000 TV and DTH sets along with other material.
According to details, Minister of Information and Broadcasting through Doordarshan provided 10,000 TV and DTH sets to Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmir Division received stock of 5000 TV and DTH sets from April 4, 2008 to July 12, 2008. Accordingly, Joint Director Information Kashmir Division (Nodal Officer) wrote to then Station engineer, I/C TV sets and DTHs Doordarshan Kendra Srinagar vide letter No. INF/K619/2008 Dated 19-07-2008 that he received TV sets and DTHs of LG Company and Sun Broadcasting Corporation. Similarly Joint Director Information Jammu also confirmed to Doordarshan to have received the supply.
The contract of supplying 10,000 TV sets to the state was awarded to M/S LG electronics India Pvt Ltd on 8 October, 2007 and the cost of LG TV set (LG Model-21FE3RG LG 21'' Flatron 220w PMPO Sound system with supplied accessories, Power card, Remote, Battery, Manual and adopter antenna), according to details was fixed Rs 5400 and total cost of 10,000 tv sets is 5,40,00,000.
The contract of supplying DTHs was allotted to Sun Broadcasting Equipments Pvt Ltd on 8th of October in 2007. Total cost of 10,000 DTHs is around Rs 3, 74, 69,800.
The TV sets and DTHs were to be distributed in uncovered areas where no DD terrestrial signals reach. Aaganwadi centers, Government schools, Public Health Centers, Village Panchayats, Cooperative Societies, associations run by local people, youth clubs, tribal autonomous councils were eligible to be covered under the scheme. "Village or town covered by any cable networking shouldn't be considered under the scheme," reads the guideline.
TV sets and DTHs were handed over to deputy commissioners and were directed to distribute them. However the state has failed to provide utilization certificate and it has put a big question mark over the distribution process.
Mohammad Sadiq Poswal, who had sought the details from the Ministry, alleged that it is a major fraud as J&K government has failed to implement the scheme as per laid down guidelines. |
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