The premiere audit agency dug up glaring discrepancies, violation of procedural norms besides fund bungling in the implementation of the much-hyped initiative to give a facelift to govt high schools.
Photo: IANS
Alleged irregularities perpetrated by the previous BJD government for the high school transformation programme has come under the scanner of Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) with the premiere audit agency digging up glaring discrepancies, violation of procedural norms besides fund bungling during the course of implementation of the much-hyped initiative to give facelift to govt high schools.
Blowing the lid off the irregularities in the flagship project of the then Naveen Patnaik-led government, the audit has pointed out fund misuse to the tune of Rs 90 crore in the schools undertaken for transformation of schools in six districts of Ganjam, Sundargarh, Balasore, Cuttack, Jajpur and Keonjhar districts.
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The joint physical inspection by the audit squad found instances of e-libraries and Science Lab created under the 5THSTP initiative were being used for unintended purposes such as storage rooms or teachers’ common rooms, etc and were not being utilized by students.
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The draft report of the CAG was replete with multiple discrepancies by observing that there was lack of transparency in procurement of goods and equipment and execution of works under 5T High School Transformation programmes, leading to irregular, avoidable, unfruitful, excess, and various other deficiencies.
The previous government launched the initiative under 5T for the school education sector called 5T- High School Transformation Programme (HSTP) in 2021.
5T referred to Transparency, Technology, Teamwork, Time and Transformation. The scheme was implemented through Mo School Abhiyan Parichalana Sangathan (MSAPS), Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA) and District Collectors. The programme has however been scrapped by the BJP government after it came to power in 2024.
The HSTP implemented in four phases during 2020-21 to 23-24 covering 86,814 Secondary Schools proposed to undergo major transformation of infrastructure in the shape of new smart classrooms, a well-developed e-library, state-of the-art laboratory-cum-interactive science centre, new sports equipment, and all other advanced amenities. All smart classrooms were to be equipped with laptops, projectors, high-speed broadband connection and surround sound systems.
The CAG audit, conducted from October 2024 and March 2025, covered the period from 2020–21 to 2023–24.
The CAG draft report detected Rs 6.63 crore injudicious sanction and release of funds, misappropriation of Rs 10 lakh in 5T HST Programme fund, Rs 30 lakh fraudulent payment to a third party, Rs 4.95 lakh suspected fraudulent payment without actual execution repairing work of dual desk for classrooms, Rs 31.72 lakh irregular procurement of high value goods without following tendering process.
The draft report detected non-submission of Utilisation Certificate and Rs 42.33 crore avoidable excess expenditure due to non-procurement of dual desk from EPM rate contract holders.
The non-procurement of dual desks from Export Promotion and Marketing (EPM)-empanelled firms and procurement through nominated/ Government e-Marketplace (GeM)/direct purchase led to an excess expenditure of Rs 42.33 crore.
There was Rs 2.67 crore avoidable expenditure on purchase of Interactive Smart Panels and Batteries without using GeM Platform. Consequently, an avoidable excess expenditure of 2.62 crore was incurred due to not utilising the GeM platform for procurement in the 3rd Phase of HST Programme.
Rs 1.70 crore was spent for procurement of e-Content, which could have been avoided, it said pointing out unfruitful Expenditure on AR/VR Sets under 5T HST to the tune of Rs 60.93 lakh.
Discrepancies detected by CAG also included Rs 27.76 lakh excess payment for procurement of goods and services, unauthorized excess payment for extra items, overpayment for Public Address System, excess payment in procurement of Water Purifiers, Rs 14.53 crore irregular expenditure in civil works, excess payment of 9.60 lakh on fixing of floor and wall tiles, exhibition of excess quantities of work in the Running Account bills. The CAG also found Inadmissible expenditure on an ineligible Higher Secondary School.
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