IIT-D, JNU get CAG rap for failing to avail rebate on bills

Government auditor CAG today rapped premier institutes like IIT Delhi and JNU for failing to avail rebate to the tune of 10 per cent on account of rain water harvesting in their campuses.
The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) in a notification which came into affect from January 2010 had said that government institutes would be eligible for a 10 per cent rebate on the total amount of water bills subject to the existence of functional rain water harvesting structure.
IIT Delhi had 28 rainwater harvesting pits in its premises since 2000. However, the audit observed that it did not "claim rebate of 10 per cent on monthly water bills during January 2010 to July 2012 resulting in over payment of Rs 64.29 lakh to DJB".

Similarly, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) had eight rain water harvesting systems functioning in its premises since 2005 and was eligible for availing 10 per cent discount on its monthly water bills during January 2010 to September 2011 resulting in over payment of Rs 80 lakh, the auditor in its report for the year ended March 2012 said.
The auditor also took on Visva Bharati, a central university, over failing to utilise grants received and refunding back to UGC.
"The university, out of the total plan of Rs 12.68 crore, could utilise Rs 10.01 crore up to March 2005. The remaining unspent amount of Rs 2.67 crore was neither refunded to UGC nor invested in any interest beating term deposits, and was kept in current account from April 2005 to March 2012," it said.