PANJIM: A recently conducted Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) Audit of Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) has raised questions on the appointment of the institution’s present Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Swayandipta Pal Chaudhuri.
The report, which will subsequently be submitted to the Auditor General of the CAG following a reply from Chaudhari, mentioned about his appointment to the posts on July 16, 2016 for tenure of three years till July 15, 2019. Subsequently, he was employed at Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (GSIDC) as Executive Director (Finance) on December 15, 2015 on contract period of two years and monthly salary being Rs 72,600.
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The report mentions that when Chaudhari was notified as MD and CEO of IPSCDL, the government did not issue any formal order in respect to his salary fixation, which meant that in such a case and as per the Government of India — Smart City Mission Guidelines Chaudhuri was only eligible to draw his current pay of Rs 72,600 plus 10 per cent extra towards deputation charges for the positions at IPSCDL.
What’s surprising is that contravening to the Smart City Mission Guidelines, Chaudhuri continues to draw a monthly salary of Rs 2,05,400 at 16 Pay Matrix of the 7th Pay Commission, usually paid to senior level Union/State Public Service Commission Officers. Reportedly, all this is being carried out without any government approval or order. It has also come to the fore that although his tenure expired on July 15, 2019, Chaudhuri continues to hold the posts along with unapproved salary and other allowances for the last 16 months.
