CAG Reports Claims Funds Allotted For Forest Conservation Used To Buy iPhones, Laptops In Uttarakhand

Dehradun: A central audit has uncovered significant financial misappropriations in Uttarakhand, revealing that funds allocated for forest conservation were misused for purchasing iPhones and office decorations. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India report for the fiscal year 2021-22 highlighted that the forest and health departments, along with the Workers Welfare Board, improperly utilized public funds without proper planning or sanction.

Presented in the Uttarakhand Assembly, the report noted that the Workers Welfare Board incurred Rs 607 crore of expenditures without governmental approval between 2017 and 2021, contravening various regulations regarding forest land transfers.

The audit identified a misallocation of nearly Rs 14 crore from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), intended for forest conservation, redirected for non-forest purposes such as purchasing electronic devices and appliance renovation. It criticized the lengthy delay, taking over eight years for compensatory afforestation to occur in 37 instances whereas guidelines dictate prompt afforestation.

Additional issues included violations of forest land transfer rules, lack of Divisional Forest Officer's (DFO) permissions for 52 cases from 2014 to 2022, and a troubling low survival rate of planted trees, only 33%, below the desired 60-65%. Furthermore, instances of expired medicines were found in three government hospitals, raising health concerns.

The CAG underscored the critical shortage of specialist doctors, with significant vacancies in hilly and plain areas, stressing the need for new regulations. The Congress party criticized the government for financial negligence, while Uttarakhand's Forest Minister promised an investigation into the discrepancies.