PM should be held accountable for ‘scams’ pointed out by CAG: Congress

PTI, Aug 16, 2023, 8:55 PM IST

New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday alleged the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has pointed out ”scams” in infrastructure projects of the BJP-led Central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be held accountable.

There should be a probe into the alleged scams and accountability should be fixed, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said, asking when will the PM break his ”silence” on the alleged irregularities.

”I feel these scams should be probed and accountability should be fixed. We feel that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is clearly responsible for these scams and his accountability should be fixed,” she told a press conference.

”Will the prime minister break his silence on these scams committed under his very nose. Will the prime minister initiate action against those responsible for the scams?” she asked.

She said the CAG has brought to light seven ”scams” that betray ”corruption” in this government.

She alleged the prime minister may dub those who prepare these reports as ”anti-national”. ”He may even raid them and jail them. But the reality is that it starts from the Bharatmala project, where the cost of construction has doubled from 15.37 crore per kilometer, to over 32 crore per kilometer.”

”Not just this, the tender process was flawed. There was never a detailed project report that was submitted. Money to the tune of Rs 3,500 crore was diverted from the escrow account. And more than anything else, safety consultants were not appointed. So, you are responsible if you are travelling on any of those roads, not the government of India,” she said.

On the Dwarka Expressway, she said this is the second such ”scam” which has come to light where the construction cost went up from Rs 18 crore per kilometer to Rs 250 crore per kilometer.

”A Mangalyaan could have gone, Rs 500 crore is what it took. The NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) has looted the common citizens of this country to the tune of Rs 132 crore. (It has come to light) when only five toll plazas were audited. Imagine if every all toll plazas in the country is audited, what would the tune of this scam be,” she said.

The road transport ministry has, however, rejected the cost escalation projected by the CAG.

Top sources in the road transport ministry said the government saved over 12 per cent in construction cost against estimates in awarding contracts of Urban Extension Road-II or Dwarka Expressway, and CAG findings that the cost was exorbitant are misplaced as the auditor did not factor in the actual cost, Shrinate also alleged irregularities in the ‘Ayushman Bharat scheme’ that the prime minister ”keeps talking about”.

As many as 7.5 lakh beneficiaries were registered with one phone number, she alleged, adding fresh claims were made and payments released in the name of 88,000 patients who died during treatment. ”Who did that money go to? That is a big question.”

Shrinate also claimed the CAG has pointed out the Ayodhya Development Project land was brought at the price of ”peanuts” and then sold at high rates to the Ram Temple Trust.

”But we now are discovering that the Ayodhya Development Project is also riddled with scams.” ”Money has been issued to the contractors that are not even registered. There is a GST payment that is coming their way. Who are these people? What are they doing? How come the bidders, the tendering process is so flawed?” she alleged.

The Rural Development Ministry, she claimed, has a provision of pension for the elderly, the poor, widows and the physically disabled.

”Money from this was diverted to put hoardings in 19 states and every district on the ‘Swachh Bharat’ fortnight that they celebrated,” she alleged.

The Congress leader also said the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has been pulled up for a flawed engine design which caused a loss of about Rs 154 crore.

”We have limited questions for the Prime Minister. Will you break your silence on the scams that are being unearthed by CAG right under your nose? You are the chairman of the CCEA, the Cabinet Committee on Economy Affairs.

”Are you going to open your mouth on the Bharatmala Project, where the cost has doubled? How will you act against the Road and the Surface Development Ministry, because we have seen a huge scam in Dwarka Expressway?” she asked.

She asked if the prime minister will act against the health minister and his ministry over the Ayushman Bharat scheme and ask them how ”money for beneficiaries was diverted”.

”Where did that money go? Will you act against the Ayodhya Development Project and inquire finally on the dodgy land deals. And also on the kind of money that was given to contractors, whose registration has been cancelled,” she asked.

”This is looting the exchequer. This is looting the people of India and action should be taken. But before action is taken, the prime minister needs to tell this country, why are people being allowed to take undue benefits of schemes meant for the poor, meant for the physically challenged, meant for the old, and also meant for the widows,” Shrinate asked.