Panaji: The Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) report tabled on the floor of the House on Thursday has pointed out that the failure of Goa police department to pay annual spectrum charges to Government of India on time resulted in avoidable payment of late fee of Rs 2.39 crore.
Chief minister Pramod Sawant tabled he CAG report on Thursday, the last day of the 18-day-long monsoon session of Goa assembly.
The CAG report has pointed out that the main duty of the state police force is to maintain law and order within the state and wireless communication systems play an important role in this function.
The Union ministry of Communication is responsible for facilitating faster means of communication through the allotment of necessary spectrum.
The CAG has said that the failure of the police department to pay spectrum charges in timely manner, resulted in avoidable payment of Rs 2.39 crore as late fees for the period of 2018-19 to 2020-21.
Explaining the findings, the CAG has stated that the department was required to pay annual licence fee plus royalty amounting to Rs 0.20 crorefrom 2004 to 2012 and Rs 0.47 crore from April 2012 to January 2022.
These charges were required to be paid in in advance every year and a late fee at the rate of two percent compounded annually was applicable for all delayed payments, the report reads.
The CAG has observed that the police department failed to pay the annual charges in advance.
“Till March 2018, the department had paid only 0.07 crore. The total amount payable worked out to Rs 23.77 crore which included a late fee of Rs 19.38 crore.”
The CAG has said that the ministry conveyed waiver of late fee upto June 2018 on all networks on all networks existing prior to June 01, 2004 and requested all states to clear their dues to at the earliest but not later than December 06, 2018.
“Thus, with the waiver of late fee of Rs 19.38 crore, the liability of the department as at March 31, 2018 was Rs 4.39 crore,” the report mentions.
“Accordingly, the department should have cleared the outstanding dues of Rs 4.86 crore by June 30, 2016,” it added.
The CAG has noted that the department continued to make part payments which resulted in levy of late fee of Rs 2.39 crore.
