Former MD denies allegations
Srinagar: A probe has been sought into alleged wrongdoings over the years in Jammu and Kashmir Handloom Development Corporation.
In a letter to anti-graft bodies, a probe has been sought into alleged wrongdoings in the Corporation.
J & K State Handloom Development Corporation was incorporated to give raw material, technical support and marketing cover to local handloom societies as per the article of association.
The letter also received by news agency KINS said that funds worth crores of rupees were released for the up gradation and purchase of new machineries for scouring, dyeing and finishing of wool fiber and cloth in UNDP, Nowshera, Srinagar.
Similarly funds worth crores of rupees were released for the upgrade of Export Oriented Handloom Development Project Samba, for repair and sourcing of new processing/printing machines, handloom, looms etc.
These funds were released to strengthen the infrastructure for the production of traditional cloth on handlooms, working in the decentralized sector, which would benefit the common weaver for socio economic upliftment. Also simultaneously generate revenue by upgrading the existing post loom facilities in order to attract manufacturing units within & outside the state, to send their goods to these units for scouring, bleaching, dyeing, printing and finishing.
“All these funds have been utilized for sourcing the undesired machineries which as on date are defunct as they are not required in the handloom industry owing to the fact that they are high speed Rapier looms run purely on power and JKHDC has no mandate to source them at huge costs,” the letter said.
The latter has raised questions over the purchase of these machines worth crores of rupees.
“For what purpose, they have purchased power driven Jaquard, Juki knitting machines, new warping m/c, replacing existing fully operational warping machine, new boiler, replacing existing fully operational boiler, new printing tables, curing machine and huge qty of printing blocks, screens’, dyes and chemicals, dismantling the constructed portion inside the processing house and construction of new sheds within the samba premises for what,” the latter say.
They have accused that all such activities have been done without any sanctioned project report, or hiring a proper textile consultant for the implementation of this project. “No proper tendering process has been adopted as per the guidelines of financial code. Parties have been selected on the basis of mutual understanding,” they have alleged in the letter.
“Now if these machines are sourced, why are they defunct as on date? How come authorities claim to weave world Famous Kani Pashmina Shawls in Samba, when the project has no mandate to weave such sophisticated items. The whole activity for the last two years of the Samba Project needs to be probed thoroughly,” they have demanded.
As per the letter, orders approximately worth Rs 55 crores were received by the Corporation from Sarwa Siksha Abhiyan, Education Department.
“Firstly, JKHDC has no mandate to supply such items like terry cot uniform cloth in stitched form. This is purely a mill sector product and the cloth woven is on high speed power looms. But authorities made it to show that stitching is done in Samba Project as an eye wash while the entire material was sourced from Mumbai based firm, through a broker thus cheating the govt. and the department. The stitched uniform has been sourced from outside the state.”
They have claimed that despite having a full fledged Financial Advisor, authorities had given DDO powers to much lesser rank non account people.
“This is precisely done in order to avoid any sort of objections or queries by FACAO. All payments to suppliers of machines or cloth have been released by these very favorite persons, by passing FACAO. Why? It needs to be enquired,” they said.
“This year also, authorities have purchased uniform cloth worth crores of rupees, in anticipation of a repeat of education order, which was not placed by them. The material as on date is still stored in Himalayan Wool Combers Premises, Bari Brahmana, which can be physically seen even today, thus causing huge loss to the govt. exchequer.
In order to silence the voice of dissent, promotions have been given in bulk without adhering to basic rules and appointed at will the persons,” they added.
However, former Managing Director J&K Handloom Development Corporation denied the allegations.
“No money is released with sanctioned projects by the government. The machines which have been procured are operational at Samba plant which you can confirm from concerned officials there. If there is any complaint that proper procedure has not been followed during the procurement let the ACB hold a probe to unveil the facts,” the former MD told news agency KINS.(KINS)