Congress accuses Centre of awarding projects to private parties 'indirectly', cites CAG report

Pawan Khera alleged that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has been awarding projects to private parties indirectly through CSC-SPV and its wholly-owned subsidiary CSC Wi-Fi Choupal Services India Private Limited.

New Delhi: Citing a Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) report, the Congress party on Saturday slammed the Modi-led BJP government and questioned the functioning of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for awarding projects to private parties indirectly through CSC-SPV.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said, "A preliminary report of the CAG has come down heavily on the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The CAG has pointed out on huge payments being made between July 2019 and December 2020 to CSC under this Ministry. This was a part of tripartite agreement for operations and maintenance of optical fibre cable."

Quoting the CAG report, Congress spokesperson further said, "the USOF (Universal Service Obligation Fund) could not impose a penalty on CSC for delays in completion of BharatNet work. In the absence of service-level agreement and prescribed timeline for restoration of faults and non-inclusion of penal clause, there was no deterrent for CSC to ensure that there is no delay in rectification of faults occurring in BharatNet Phase-1," he added.

Pawan Khera alleged that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has been awarding projects to private parties indirectly through CSC-SPV and its wholly-owned subsidiary CSC Wi-Fi Choupal Services India Private Limited. The USOF has massive funds collected through percentage all operators give to the government. The government uses this for Last Mile Connectivity (LMNC) and for the infrastructure created in rural areas.

"USOF devices new project and takes approval from the Digital Communication Commission for avoiding this projects to CSC-SPV which in would pass these projects to CSC Choupal. The CSC Choupal would then sign these projects to private parties branded as Common Services Centers through a maze of private entities," he added.

Khera said, as per the website of DoT, as of January 2021 the USOF had collected Rs 1,12,2650 crores, out of which Rs 57,433 crores has been disbursed.

The Congress spokesperson questioned that following the preliminary report of the CAG and these findings on the functioning of MeitY, is the removal of a Minister from the Union Cabinet enough? He further demanded an independent, high-level, time-bound enquiry into the goings of the Ministry.