Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has come under the grip of the third scam within 17 days. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation Contractors Welfare Association (NMCCWA) has alleged that the Chief Accounts and Finance Officer (CAFO) does not release the payment for the work without meeting the contractors and entering into bribery deals. He alleged that this irregularity has been going on for a long time.
The CAFO is the head of the accounts and finance department in the NMC, which is already under investigation in the fake contract scam.
Association president C Vijay Naidu, in a complaint filed with municipal commissioner Radhakrishnan B a day ago, said, “The payment has stopped due to discrepancy in the accounts department (fake contract scam). We request you to kindly resume the payment in such a way that everyone gets a fair deal, whether they have dealt with the CAFO or not. It’s been going on for a long time. If the contractor does not meet in person, the bills are not passed. I have an example to prove it. We had discussed this issue earlier also.”
Naidu said the contractors understood the prevailing situation but hoped that payments would resume in a systematic manner at the earliest. “There are a lot of bills pending in the accounts department for payment,” he said.
Naidu also appreciated the system introduced by Radhakrishnan to clear bills month-wise, and hoped that it would bring the payment terms back to normalcy.
The civic chief reportedly has ensured the clearance of all bills by October 2020. The payments have reportedly been stopped after the fake contract scam came to light earlier this month.
Former corporator Vedprakash Arya said, “This arrangement is going on in NMC since last 15 years to ensure deal with CAFO for meeting of contractors and clearing of bills. Ultimately, the contractors themselves have made this irregularity public for the first time. If payment is to be made to the CAFO or any other officer, the contractor will do the work of substandard quality or give up some part of the contract. If the contractors have completed the work properly then there is no need for them to enter the accounts and finance department. Detailed inquiry and action should be taken,” he said.
Radhakrishnan said, “The association had not informed me about any such thing in the past. They should give me evidence so that I can investigate and take action.”
TOI was the first to report on the fake contract scam on December 14, where four employees have been suspended and seven employees are under departmental inquiry. The seven-member inquiry committee headed by Additional Municipal Commissioner Deepak Kumar Meena has not yet submitted the report.
On 27 December, Congress councilor Sandeep Sahare uncovered another irregularity in the NMC, where 14 materials were procured at a cost 2-26 times higher than the market rates.
Sahere on Thursday disclosed similar irregularities in the purchase of 21 more items. He alleged that the civic body has paid 2-20 times the market rate. “One of the ingredients is the drum of a Xerox machine. NMC bought it for Rs 24,000, while the market price is Rs 1,199.
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