5 months ago
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In a large crackdown connected alleged corruption and administrative lapses wrong the Education Department, 12 antithetic teams conducted astonishment inspections astatine the offices of the Joint Directors of Bengaluru Division and the Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI), Bengaluru North, connected December 3.
The inspection, carried retired pursuing a erstwhile inspection and regular complaints, revealed a bid of superior irregularities, misuse of funds, and violations of authorities rules. The constabulary teams, accompanied by some judicial and constabulary officers of Lokayukta, inspected the offices.
According to a connection from the ombudsman, the checks revealed violations successful the procurement of physics instrumentality for authorities schools, questionable transfers of teachers, mediocre attraction of authorities property, unattended complaints, and dysfunctional administrative systems.
One of the large irregularities was observed successful the purchasing of laptops, projectors, UPS units, and computers meant for 19 authorities schools successful the Bengaluru North division. Although the Technical Approval Panel (TAP) had approved circumstantial configurations, carnal verification by the Lokayukta revealed that the supplied items did not lucifer the approved specifications.
The connection noted that each machine was overpriced by astir ₹10,000, UPS units by ₹30,000–40,000, and LED astute TVs by ₹15,000. The installation reports were incomplete, and galore schools had missing items.
During video calls with schoolhouse headmasters, Lokayukta teams recovered that headmasters were not contiguous during schoolhouse hours. Further, the teams besides recovered the DDPI bureau had inspected the supplied equipment. Prima facie, the constabulary estimation a misappropriation of ₹20,000 to ₹30,000 per school. The connection noted that the Bengaluru North portion unsocial has 1,483 authorities schools.
The inspection besides uncovered violations of the Karnataka State Civil Services (Regulation of Transfer of Teachers) Act, 2020. While the Act allows transfers lone during April–May but nether peculiar government-approved circumstances, the Joint Director allegedly received 2,457 applications and executed 530 transfers betwixt November 17 and 26. The determination exceeded the 15% yearly limit.
Administrative conditions astatine the offices were described arsenic “pathetic”. According to the findings, the offices lacked basal amenities specified arsenic toilets, drinking water, lighting, CCTV systems, show boards, and biometric attendance. Furniture supplied by the authorities laic breached oregon unused, and garbage littered the premises. The Joint Director had allegedly not signed the attendance registry for 15 days.
Further, retired of 50 complaints received by the Joint Director’s office, 44 of them were against Group A and B officers, and astir remained unattended.
At the DDPI North office, the constabulary reported instances of misuse of funds, pending files, irregular attraction of currency records, unauthorised retention of items, and aggregate violations successful handling zonal and determination administrative duties.
