Saturday, April 18, 2015

Plot Allotment Tragedy in Odisha-2

Neo-Colonial Land-grabbing Mania
During colonial regime, the Britishers adopted various dirty tricks like waging war, offering bribe, hatching conspiracy and instigating one against another to conquer India. The same tactics was earlier followed by Mughal Emperors during feudal period to expand their rule by capturing  the Hindu Kingdoms in India. In the neo-colonial period, the corporate houses are seen adopting all illegal and fraud means by influencing national Govt. to grab invaluable land at any cost. Sri Achyut Samant, Mentor of KIIT is no way different from them which has been explicitly exposed by Comptroller and Auditor General of India  in its report  entitled “ Performance Audit of CAG  on General and Social Sector”.

Sri Samant  has adopted all types of fraud, forgery and illegalities to capture most valuable and precious Govt. ( public land) Land in Bhubaneswar to build up his empire in the  name of the people and state.  I do present herewith series of cases studies  of his malpractice, irregularities in respect of grabbing land violating all norms, values and ethics.

Case Study- 1: Misutilisation of land by KIIT purchased through BIFR( Board of Industrial and Financial Reconstruction) resulting in a loss of Rs. 51 crores.

KIIT purchased a piece of land of 16.200 acres from Magnetix India Pvt. Limited (6.00 acres) and Indo Maxwell Limited (10.200 acres) through the official Liquidator, Odisha High Court. In case of Indo Maxwell Limited liquidation case, the Honourable High Court specifically instructed (July 2006)  in Misc case No. 78/2005 that the transferred land should be utilised as per the terms and conditions of the original lease agreement, i.e., industrial purpose only.

But, in blatant disregard to the orders of the honourable court, KIIT was found utilising the land for running a school. No action was taken by IDCO for cancellation / resumption of land resulting in loss of Rs. 51 crore (calculated on the bench mark valuation of the cost of land).

Case Study- 2: Illegal regularisation of mutual transfer of land to KIIT resulting loss of Rs. 73.75 crores to State Exchequer

Section 34 of the IDCO Act 1980 stipulated that in order to promote rapid growth and development of industries, the Board could carry out a six-monthly review of the allotted plots and resume the unutilised  portion of the allotted land by giving a notice to the allottee of the industrial estate. Further, as per IDCO circular (September 2004), no mutual transfer of industrial property was permissible and  in the event of any allotted property mis-utilised as educational/ technical/ management/other professional institutes, the allotment was required to be cancelled.

But astonishingly, it was found that  the allotted industrial plot of 15 . 516 acres to different companies like PGL Plastic Tubes Limited, Kalinga Software Limited, B. Engineers and Builders Limited, Utkal Tubes, Package India, Mangalachand Telecom Pvt. Ltd., New Life Health Care, Arya Aluminium Ltd., Mineral Rock Products, Minu Concrete Works etc. which were found lying vacant and misutilised  was tarnsferred to KIIT instead of resumption of land by IDCO.  The High Level Land Allotment sub-committee approved  (May 2010) the proposals for mutual transfer  of these plots  which were pending finalisation as per benchmark valuation fixed by Revenue and Disaster Management Department (April 2010).


But by-passing  the decision of the Government and the HLAC, the Board of Director (BoD) decided (July 2010)  to dispose off the mutual transfer cases on the basis of land rates  prevalent  on the date of the receipt of such applications leading to illegal transfers. Accordingly, all the pending cases were disposed off  as per rate structure prescribed by BoD, which also resulted in a loss of revenue to the extent of Rs. 73.75 crores.

Pradip Pradhan, M- 9937843482
04.09.2014 

Plot Allotment Tragedy in Odisha-1

Allotment  made for more than one asset to an individual by CDA
in Sector-13, New Cuttack 
All of you are aware about land scam in Odisha which has been exposed by CAG in its report (General and Social sector, Vol-2, 3 ). This report has brought to the light about nexus among politicians, bureaucrats, business house and private educational institutions to grab precious land of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack at throw away price by filling false affidavit and adopting method of nepotism and favouritism. The land allotted under Discretionary Quota has been taken double and triple by the Ministers, bureaucrats and in the name of their wives, relatives. Here are a few cases of how the so called powerful people i.e., Land Lootera  has taken land by filling false affidavits. It has happened because their close proximity with the politicians and bureaucrats at the helm of affairs of the state. Through this CAG exposure, Many names which has been figured in CAG report who have taken valuable land by adopting foul means  is not being identified and their profession or close relation with Chief Minister, Ministers, MLAs  and  bureaucrats.
Sl.
Name of the Allottee
Plot No. allotted
Date of Possession
Value of the Plot (Rs. In Lakh)
1
Bira Kishor Sahoo
2E-417
18.2.2010 (On transfer)

Birakishor Sahoo (Self)
2F-525
Not given
1.10
2
Harbinder Kaur
3D-1263
Not given
Rajesh Paul Singh
(spouse)
3D-1195
Not given
3.38
3
Malati Pradhan
2F-532
30 June 2009
Sudhir  Khatei (spouse)
4F/1650
Not given
1.10
4
Tabindra Kumar Paramanik
C-926
30.4.2011 ( on transfer)
Mamata Paramanik (spouse)
C-317
31 Aug. 201 ( on transfer)
5.31
5
Saibalini Pradhan
IC-206
Not given
Chandrakant Pradhan (spouse)
3 D- 959
Not given
3.38
6
Smitanjali Samal
IE-137
Not given
Susanta Kumar Samal (spouse)
C-316
24.9.2008 ( On transfer)
5.31
7
Sunil Kumar Mohanty
2C-281
13.7.2009
Nirmalbala Pattnaik (spouse)
D-368
10.7.2009
3.48
8
Surya Kanta Sahu
2F-574
30.6.2009
Bandita Nath (spouse)
2F-492
30.6.2009
1.28
Total
24.34
(source: Individual allotment files of the scheme)

Pradip Pradhan, M- 9937843482

29.08.2014 

Laptop PCs for College Students in Odisha

Distribution of Laptop PCs for College Students by Govt. of Odisha


Prior to general election for 2014, Govt. of Odisha has taken a lot of populist measures to woo the voters by way of distribution of so many things free of Umbrella, Shoes, Blanket, Bicycle, Mobile phones etc. Laptop was one of the items declared by the State Govt. to be distributed to the students of the different colleges free of cost.  In fact, the implementation of  these  populist  programme could not be monitored  by anybody  not even by the Political parties  or the Civil Society Groups  whether  it reached  to the people or fund sanctioned for the same utilized properly. However, now much information about implementation of these programmes is coming to the lime light through RTI. For example, though the Govt. claims about  distribution of Mobile phone to 18,000 farmers in 2013, but  the list of the recipient-farmers  is not  available  in the Dept. of Agriculture.

On 8 March 2015, RTI Application was submitted to the PIO, Dept. of Higher Education seeking information about details of Laptop distributed to the students in the state, total fund sanctioned ad utilised  etc.  On 25.3.15, the PIO has supplied some information about RTI Query which is as follows.

A. The State Govt. had decided to distribute Laptop to 15,235 students of different colleges. But as claimed by the Govt., Laptop has been distributed to only 14,908 students by 17.11.14.

B. The State Govt. has sanctioned Rs. 30 crores for purchase of Laptop.  But the information about expenditure against purchase and distribution of Laptop has not been supplied by the Dept.

C.  M/s ACER India Private Limited has been placed order to supply Laptop.

Comments
Finding this information  incomplete, another RTI Application has been submitted to the PIO, Dept. of Higher Education on 6.4.15.   The information sought for is as follows.

i. Provide information about details of decision taken for procurement of Laptop from ACER India Limited including copy of the file noting.

ii. Provide information about details of procedure followed for authorizing ACER India Limited to supply Laptop to the Govt.

iii. Provide information about date on which the money was released to  ACER  India Limited and under  which budget head  the said amount  was sanctioned  for Laptop

iii. Provide number of students   of different academic institutions distributed Laptop  in the state as per the following format:

Sl.
Name of district
Name of  Academic  Institutions
Total no. of students





iv. Provide information about whether Tender notice & papers issued or not for purchasing Laptop. And If yes,  please  provide copies of both.

v. Comparative chart of all the bidders quoted & present on the price bid opening day with name & address of each bidder & their laptop

vi. Any committee formed by govt/ competent authority to recommend such purchases. And if yes, copies of such office orders/note sheet orders  & approval of competent authority.

vii. Copy of supplier's letter wherein extra facilities of mobiles are mentioned.

viii. provide  copy  of Last letter of supplier prior to Purchase Order  placed on them. 

ix. provide copy of  invoices/bills of  supplier. 

x. provide  Cheque no & date against each payment made with amount. 

Pradip Pradhan, M- 9937843482
15 April 2015

Friday, April 17, 2015

LAND TO TECHNO-EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN BHUBANESWAR

Allotment of Land to Educational and Technical Institutions by IDCO in Bhubaneswar
According to the provisions of OHDC Act, 1980 and IPrs of 2001 and 2007, the Government granted land on lease to IDCO at concessional rate for eventual allotment of the same to industrial units for the purpose of securing and assisting rapid and orderly establishment of industries, trade and commerce in the state.  The Government  allotted 8235.872 acres of land to IDCO for industrial purpose  of which  IDCO was found to have allotted  311.76 acres of land  in favour of different educational institutions and technical institutions  which is not the mandate of the IDCO. A total no. of 150.79 acres of land have been allotted to educational and technical institutes in Bhubaneswar which is as follows.
 Sl.
Name of the Institutions
Area allotted
(in Acres)
1
Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology(KIIT), Bhubaneswar
89.170
2
Navadiganta Educational Trust, Bhubaneswar
22.860
3
Odisha Trust of Technical Education and Training (OTTET), Bhubaneswar
0.198
4
Gokarneswar Charitable Trust, Bhubaneswar
1.360
5
Silicon Institute of Technology, Bhubaneswar
18.376
6
Saint Sirdi Sai Education Society, Bhubaneswar
3.670
7
Dinabandhu Foundation for Educational Research and Economic development, Bhubaneswar
10.040
8
Future Focus and Initiative, Bhubaneswar
4.394

Total
150.79
In the absence of a uniform, transparent and equitable land allotment policy, IDCO was allotting land in industrial estates to educational institutions which ultimately resulted in allotment of more land to them than actually required.

KIIT, as an Institute which evolved from one functioning out of a single rented room in 1992 to one that boasts of 10 sprawling wifi enabled campuses in Bhubaneswar was allotted prime land of 89.170 acres by IDCO. The details are as follows.

Sl.
Allotment/Regularisation of IDCO land by KIIT
Allotment of land
1
Purchase of  land mortgaged to Odisha State Finance Corporation  ( OSFC)
13.483
2
Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction  (BIFR)
16.200
3
On Mutual Transfer from other allotees
14.515
4
Auction conducted by IDCO
7.492
5
Encroachment of land regularised by IDCO
16.397
6
Allotment made directly by IDCO
7.083
7
In Principle allotment of land encroached by others
14.000

Total
89.170

CAG Audit scrutiny has revealed  that although direct allotment of land to KIIT by IDCO was meagre (7. 083 acres), there were instances of undue benefit extended to KIIT in acquiring the remaining land  ( 82.087 acres) violating procedures of  land  allotment which resulted in a loss of Rs. 252.54 acres.

Besides that  KIIT has again occupied unauthorisedly 18.864 acres of land, the benchmark valuation of land is Rs. 94.32 crores. Astonishingly, IDCO though aware about this unauthorised occupation has not taken a single step  for eviction. The attitude of  IDCO  subsequently encouraged other encroachers to encroach upon the valuable land first and then get them regularised. To this extent, IDCO was merely acting  as a regularising agent of irregular encroachments though under the IDCO Act, no such authority or power was vested with IDCO. It is also found that all the proposals of KIIT were simply accepted by IDCO violating all norms and procedures of allotment.

Pradip Pradhan, M-9937843482
Date 29.08.2014