Nagpur: In a sensational allegation, the Chief Accounts and Finance Officer (CAFO) of NMC has been accused of striking under table deals for clearing bills of contractors. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation Contractor’s Welfare Association (NMCCWA) has alleged that the CAFO refused to release payment for works without contractors meeting him and striking kickback deals. This irregularity has been going on since long, they alleged, according to media reports .
CAFO is the head of the Accounts and Finance Department in NMC, which is already under the scanner in the Bogus Contracts Scam.
The reports further said that the President of the Association C Vijay Nayudu in a complaint lodged with Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B a day ago said, “Disbursement of payment has stopped due to discrepancy in Accounts Department following exposure of Bogus Contracts Scam or Stationery Scam. The Association requests to kindly restart the payments in such a way that everyone gets a fair deal, whether or not they strike a deal with the CAFO or not. This has been going on for a long. Bills are not passed if the contractor does not meet him in person. I have an example to prove it. We discussed this issue earlier too,” said Nayudu, adding a lot of bills are pending in the Accounts Department for payments.
After receiving the complaint, the Municipal Commissioner has reportedly ensured clearance of all bills up to October 2020. The payments have reportedly been stopped after the Bogus Contracts Scam came to fore early this month.
A former Corporator said that this system of contractors meeting and ensuring deal with CAFO for clearance of bills has been going on in NMC for the last 15 years. Finally, contractors have themselves brought this irregularity into public domain for the first time. Contractors will do shoddy quality work or leave some part of the contract if they have to pay CAFO or any other officer. There is no need for contractors to even enter Accounts and Finance Department if they have completed works properly. Detailed inquiry and action should be taken, he demanded.
