In a recently released report on Swadesh Darshan Scheme, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has unearthed several financial irregularities in tourism projects in Telangana. The agency found that the state had submitted inflated Utilisation Certificates of Rs 21.67 crores against the actual work done in the projects.
The report found misutilisation of funds, absence of proper clearances and misguided decisions made in developing the Tribal Circuit in Telangana and Heritage Circuit in Hyderabad.
TRIBAL CIRCUIT
In the tribal circuit, destinations were selected without feasibility or field survey. All sites that were proposed in Tribal Circuit were under reserve forest area and hence required permission from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change before undertaking any work. The state government could not execute 17 components at Damaravai, Bogatha, Tadvai and Mallur due to lack of land availability or forest clearances.
As against 30 water fleet which cost Rs 6.14 crore, only seven fleet worth Rs 1.13 crore were delivered at Laknavaram, and the remaining 23 worth Rs 5.01 crore were delivered at locations other than the designated ones.
During physical verification of the site at Mulugu, of the six sanctioned gazebos, only three were found at the site. Interestingly, one gazebo was found at the camp office of the District Collector of Mulugu.
The guidelines say that any excess expenditure was to be borne by the state government. However, the Implementing Agency had spent an amount of Rs 34.30 lakh in excess of sanctioned amount without obtaining the approval of MoT. Similarly, expenditure of Rs 61.01 lakh for repairs and renovation of the old suspension bridge at Laknavaram and payment of Rs 3.35 crore was made on items other than the approved items.
HERITAGE CIRCUIT
The Circuit includes four heritage sites – Qutub Shahi Heritage Park, Paigah Tombs, Hayat Bakshi Begum Mosque and Raymond’s Tomb – in Hyderabad.
In 2017, the ministry sanctioned 14 components valued at Rs 82.43 crore at Qutub Shahi Heritage Park (QSHP), among which construction of Entrance Plaza and Interpretation Centre were some of the important ones. A total of Rs 40.03 crore had been sanctioned for these two buildings. QSHP was on the tentative list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. However, work had to be stopped in 2021 after incurring expenditure of Rs 9.01 crore, on the orders passed by the Telangana Waqf Tribunal.
There was an instance of submission of inflated Utilisation Certificate for Rs 51.14 crore by the state government, as actual expenditure incurred was Rs 29.47 crore only.
There was improper maintenance of the landscaping at Hayat Bakshi Mosque and Raymond’s Tomb (developed at a cost of Rs 33.38 lakh and Rs 29.08 lakh). Visitor amenities i.e., toilet block and ticket counters, were to be developed at Raymond’s Tomb at a sanctioned cost of Rs 55.16 lakh. However, ticket counters had not been constructed and toilet block, though constructed, was not put to use.
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