Author: Rakshit Sonawala
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: July 23, 2005
Introduction: Four years later,
Congress won't pay MSRTC Rs 27 lakh to hire buses for carrying workers
to Gujarat
The Maharashtra State Road Transport
Corporation (MSRTC) has not recovered dues of Rs 27.15 lakh from a youth
Congress jamboree that took 62 workers to Sabarmati, Gujarat, on January
30, 2000.
Instead of colecting Rs 31.96 lakh
in advance, the MSRTC obtained only one cheque of Rs 9 lakh on January
29, 2000, said the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
This cheque was dishonoured, but
there was no action.
The MSRTC received another cheque
on January 31, 2000.
The MSRTC made a final claim of
Rs 26.63 lakh, including interest, against the Congress. As the interest
grew, the bill rose to Rs 27.15 lakh (of which interest was Rs 9.52 lakh).
In May 2004 MSRTC told auditors
that it didn't insist on full payment as the corporation was controlled
by the Maharashtra government, which was led by the Congress party.
The CAG said hiring out buses merely
on verbal assurances was a violation of its own instructions. The MSRTC
failed to recover its dues and has now filed a suit in the Bombay High
Court.
