Chandigarh, 26 December 2024: An audit conducted by the Director General of Audit (Central) has revealed that the Punjab Government owes Rs 36.99 lakh to the Chandigarh UT Hospitality Department for expenses related to two vehicles used by the Punjab Raj Bhawan.
The audit, covering the period from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2024, reviewed the accounts of the UT Guest House, located between the Punjab and Haryana Raj Bhawans. The Guest House, with 51 rooms and 17 suites, provides accommodation for state guests, VIPs, and officials on official or personal visits.
According to the findings, the Home Department of the UT Administration had initially allotted two vehicles to the Director, Hospitality Department, in 2011. These vehicles were placed at the disposal of the Punjab Raj Bhawan starting in July 2013. An examination of records revealed that the UT Guest House had paid for the vehicles’ fuel, maintenance, and repairs—totaling Rs 23.83 lakh from 2016-17 to 2023-24—despite the fact that the Punjab Government was responsible for these costs.
This issue had been flagged in a previous audit report for 2015-16, where a similar expenditure of Rs 13.16 lakh was pointed out.
The vehicles, which were condemned and auctioned in 2017, were replaced with new ones. The audit report indicates that the total amount spent by the UT Guest House on these vehicles from 2015-16 to 2023-24 stands at Rs 36.99 lakh, underscoring that these expenses were irregular and should be recovered from the Punjab Government
