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| Former legislatures out of public purse were given expensive gadgets sans accountability | | Govt likely to order probe into laptop-gate in JK | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 23: The Jammu and Kashmir government will inquire over the status of the laptops and expensive gadgets which were given to the past legislatures- the cost of which was borne by the public exchequer.
Sources privy to this development told Early Times that the administration is likely to order probe over the reasons behind giving expensive laptops and other gadgets to the legislatures who seldom put them into use.
It was on January 30, 2010 when Omar took a big leap and gifted laptops to all the legislators of the state. Omar at that time had mentioned that the laptops would make the law makers more updated and informed. In addition to these high configuration gadgets, hundreds of broadband internet connections were brought and given away to MLAs and MLCs.
Reports have informed that a high configuration Dell laptop was given to each law maker in Jammu and Kashmir. Pertinently, there were 89 legislators in the Assembly (87 elected and two nominated) and 30 in the legislative council. Six seats were vacant when Omar exhibited his generosity and spent plethora out of state exchequer.
The government at present is likely to inquire where the laptops are which were given away to the legislators by Omar and did any former legislator who has lost the elections in 2014 returned the gadget to the government?
It was not the first time that Omar accorded luxuries to his legislators. In March 2011, Omar amended the law governing salary and pension of legislators. Rs. 10 crore were spent on the revised perks and on an average every legislator received at least Rs. 10 lakh. That means Rs. 8 crore and 70 lakh as the arrears. Interestingly, at that time the state government employees were on roads demanding the pending arrears of the 6th pay commission. Later, after beating and detentions during protests, the arrears in 5 instalments arrears transferred in their G.P Fund accounts.
A senior official told Early Times that when the laptos have been given to the legislators, it should have been made sure by the government that the use of same be ensured for the people but ironically not even a single time did anyone see the law makers in the past carrying laptop in the house . "What for the laptops were given to the legislators continues to be a mystery," he added.
The financial crunch is a known entity at present but what is coming to fore at present is way the public funds were spent sans any remorse by the previous government. The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, as per reports, has spent Rs. 11 crore and Rs. 15 lakh on a beachcraft and two choppers.
The ministers of the chief minister and heads of various autonomous departments and statutory organizations spent Rs. 2.10 crore for travel from 2009 to 2012. That year Rs. 7 crores were also spent for purchasing brand new vehicles for the then MLAs. |
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