JDA never submitted audit reports to state legislature: CAG

The report also raps the Jammu Development Authority for not holding any meeting of the board after April 2012

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has rebuked Jammu Development Authority for never submitting its audit report to the state legislature since the civic body was established 45 years ago and for not holding any meeting of the board after April 2012.

"The accounts of the Authority have not been presented to the state legislature since its establishment," the national auditor said in its latest report.

The report for the year ending March 31, 2015, said the audit reports were to be submitted to the state legislature under section 21 of Jammu and Kashmir Development Act 1970.

The Comptroller and Auditor General said the government admitted its contention and stated that the instructions had been "noted" for future compliance.

JDA was also pulled up by the CAG for not holding meetings of its Board of Directors since April 2012, and thus the activities undertaken by the civic agency after that period had not been approved by the board.

CAG said that its audit found that regulations required for carrying out purposes of the Jammu and Kashmir Development Act which, among other things, included summoning and holding meetings of the board had not been framed by the JDA even after 45 years of the enactment of the Act.

On being pointed out, the Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer (FA&CAO) stated in November 2014 that a board meeting scheduled for July 2014 could not be held, it said.

However, the government in its latest reply has said that a board meeting was held on June 11, 2015, the report said.

JDA, constituted in February 1971, functions under the administrative control of the Commissioner-Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department (HUUD).

The CAG previously pulled up JDA for failing to demarcate 7,243 acres of its land and had asked the state government to direct it to register the land and take its possession.

The CAG has also rebuked JDA for "failing to achieve the objectives" of the Master Plan for the winter capital.

"The objectives of the Master plan could not be achieved due to non-preparation of divisional, zonal and annual action plans (of Jammu)," it has said.