CAG raps Uttarakhand's technical education dept

Failure to upgrade government Industrial training institutes (GITIs), underutilisation of funds, deficient basic infrastructure facilities and inadequate availability of tools and equipment have hit the functioning of the technical education department in Uttarakhand, a Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG)'s report has revealed.

The latest CAG report for the year ended March 31, 2013 stated the department failed to ensure timely execution of projects meant for infrastructural facilities. Despite availability of sufficient funds to the tune of Rs 227.02 crore, it could spend only Rs 110.79 crore (49 per cent). Fifty nine of operational GITIs and government polytechnics (GPs) were being operated in rented buildings.

A centrally sponsored scheme to upgrade 1,396 government ITIs through public-private partnership was started by the Centre in 2007-08. The objective of the scheme was to improve the employment opportunities to graduates of the vocational training system. The focus of the scheme was to enhance existing infrastructure facilities, such as construction of workshops, procurement of tools and equipment, books and learning material.

It showed an amount of Rs 107.50 crore (Rs 2.50 crore for each select ITI) was released by the Centre to 43 GITIs between 2007-08 and 2011-12. However, the institutes could spend only Rs 13.87 crore (16 per cent). It was also noticed 11 GITIs could not spend any amount. Hence the initiative could not yield any visible result. In reply, the department said the scheme could not be executed according the plan due to non-availability of government buildings and lack of required support from the industry partners.

Audit scrutiny pertaining to infrastructural facilities and involving investment of Rs 29.30 crore showed non-creation of the facilities and non-achievement of intended objectives due to mismanagement/inordinate delay in construction of buildings and other works as far as ITIs were concerned.