R Akter
 |
The audit department has found misappropriation and irregularities in using fund amounting to Tk 87.52 crore in an electricity transmission line project between Rajshahi and Khulna division, sources to the Foreign Aided Project Audit Directorate (FAPAD) said.
The government’s audit department, in a letter to the Secretary of Power Division called for taking immediate action in this connection, informed sources said.
The Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) implemented the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and KFW aided “Khulna-Ishordi and Bogra- Barapukuria 230 KV Transmission Line” project between July 7, 2001 and June 30, 2008.
According to sources, the PGCB received Tk 177.77 crore from government, Asian Development Bank and KFW of Korea to implement the project. Of the amount, the audit department has found misappropriation at Tk 87.52 crore during its 2007-08 fiscal year audit investigation from February 12 to 19 this year. The audit team of FAPAD also found that the PGCB defaulted in paying Tk 47.85 crore in interest to government for the project.
The PGCG paid at Tk 15.15 crore to the government as interest instead of Tk 63 crore to run the project, a senior official of the FAPAD told ET.
He added that the government was also deprived of revenue in time as the implementation company did not follow the project performer (PP) provision to implement the project. The FAPAD in its report asked the project authority to pay arrear interest of Tk 47.85 crore to government immediately.
However, the project authority has shown in its financial statement that they received additional grant of Tk 37.40 crore from ADB and KFB for the implementation of the project. “But, the authority had received Tk 83.4 crore from ADB and Tk 56.58 crore from KFW whereas the authority had shown additional Tk 28.59 crore from ADB and Tk 73.73 crore from KFW,” sources said.
Besides, the investigators also found misappropriation Tk 3.27 crore in other activities during implementation of the project.
Filed under: Bangladesh
