CAG finds 100% vacancy of teachers and social workers in Himachal Pradesh prisons

Who it concerns: Government of Himachal Pradesh: Department of Prisons and Correctional Services, Department of Rural Development, Department of Animal Husbandry, and Public Works Department.

What the auditor found

• Prisons: Only 36% of required guarding staff were present; teachers and social workers were 100% vacant; 40% of medical referrals failed due to escort shortages; ₹6.56 lakh owed to prisoners for misuse of their property accounts.
• MGNREGS: 36.46% of Job Cards issued with delays (median 249 days); ₹77.47 crore in wage payments delayed; ₹15.75 crore spent on unauthorized 'Panchavati Yojna' works; ₹4.41 crore spent on inadmissible works; ₹8.67 crore procured via varied quotations instead of centralized systems.
• Animal Husbandry: ₹68.86 crore unspent from a ₹1,562.78 crore budget; veterinary equipment lying idle due to lack of operators; delay or non-commencement of sanctioned infrastructure works.
• Public Works: Inordinate delay of eight years in executing the Combermere Nallah bridge project due to non-compliance with procedures.
• Recommendations: Adopt Model Prison Manual provisions, address staff shortages, ensure prescribed monitoring for MGNREGS job cards and works, and utilize tele-consultation for prison healthcare.

Also in the document

• CAG found that in Himachal Pradesh prisons, teachers and social workers were 100% vacant, and 40% of inmates referred for hospital care could not be sent due to police escort shortages.
• CAG reported that ₹15.75 crore was spent on 'Panchavati Yojna' works under MGNREGS without the required approval from the Government of India.
• CAG noted that 36.46% of MGNREGS Job Cards were issued with delays, with a median delay of 249 days, and 88.72% of older cards were pending renewal or update.
• CAG observed that the Combermere Nallah bridge project suffered an eight-year delay due to non-compliance with established works' procedures.