Pending salaries: Governing body representatives of 12 DU colleges allege financial irregularities

Their remarks came a day after Sisodia set up an enquiry committee to look into alleged irregularities of funds

Governing body representatives of 12 Delhi government-funded colleges of DU on Saturday alleged irregularities in management of funds meant for clearing pending staff salaries, and questioned whether the principals are using the surplus amount as their "personal kitty".

Their remarks came a day after Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia set up an enquiry committee to look into alleged irregularities of funds in 12 city government-funded colleges.

Demanding a high-level probe, the representatives from all the 12 colleges alleged that despite the Delhi government releasing funds regularly, the colleges have not paid the salaries to the teaching and non-teaching staff for the past several months.

"Despite the Delhi government clearing the third instalment in December 2020 and the remaining fourth instalment has also been released on March 12, 2021, the colleges have not paid the salaries to their teachers and staff for the last several months yet," said Rita Benjamin, chairperson of the governing body at Bhim Rao Ambedkar College in a statement.

The representatives said the colleges have surplus funds and they have not submitted the fund utilisation certificate for the third quarter to the Delhi government.

"The situation implies financial irregularities and mismanagement of funds by the college authorities; we urge the Delhi government to immediately order a high-level (CAG) inquiry," Pawan Sharma, a member of the governing body at Bhagini Nivedita College, said.

The members of the governing bodies questioned whether the surplus amount was being utilised as "personal kitty" by the college principals.

"Even if we were not to include the student society fund in the calculation of the surplus, funds are there in its bank account. What is the reason for stashing so much surplus fund under different heads?

"Is the interest income from the surplus being utilized as a personal kitty by the principal where expenses are being made without following any norms and without any scrutiny?," the representatives said in a joint statement released on Saturday.

Chairman of the governing body of Maharishi Valmiki College Deepanshu Srivastav also alleged that colleges have created teaching and non-teaching posts without any approval from the government resulting in financial liabilities.

"The government of Delhi cannot be expected to fund teaching posts for which approvals have not been solved or remain pending. We have also seen that contracts for security guards and housekeeping staff have been given without following GFR norms. This is extremely shocking," Srivastav said.

He added that since the colleges are fully funded by the Delhi government, no appointments can be made unless the creation of the post is approved by the competent authority or the government.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday set up an enquiry committee to look into the alleged irregularities of funds in 12 city government-funded colleges.

According to a government statement, Sisodia said the decision was made after noticing that these Delhi University colleges had not disbursed the salaries of teaching and non-teaching staff and also that many colleges did not submit the utilisation certificates of the third quarter grants.

"If the colleges have not disbursed salaries, then what has been done with the funds with the college? What is the reason that utilisation certificates have not been submitted? The non-submission of utilisation certificates seems to indicate financial irregularities. It seems like an attempt to avoid scrutiny and accountability," Sisodia said in the statement.