Bhubaneswar: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit has found gaping holes in expenditure of funds allotted to different Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDAs) functioning in Odisha.

The audit, covering 2018-19 to 2022-23 across 11 sampled ITDAs, found suspected misappropriation of Rs 148.75 crore from 71 bank accounts operated by Junior Engineers (JE) and Assistant Engineers (AE). ADVERTISEMENT

“The JEs/ AEs had conducted personal transactions of Rs 148.75 crore from these bank accounts, like withdrawal of cash through ATMs, payments through cheques, payments through POS, insurance premium payments, payments towards mobile phone recharges and UPI transactions. These were indicative of suspected misappropriation of public money by the JEs/ AEs concerned,” the report t

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