During a seven-year period till 2008, the parliamentary affairs department issued sanction orders to the secretary of the Assembly for payment of discretionary grants amounting to Rs 12 crore to the MLAs, the CAG said in its report ended March 31, 2008.
A scrutiny of the sanction orders has revealed that the grants were issued without specifying the conditions laid down in the Meghalaya Financial Rules, the report said, adding the amount was drawn from the Treasury and disbursed in cash to the concerned members.
When the CAG asked the purpose of such grants, the government said that though no specific purpose is mentioned in the sanction letters, yet MLAs are given discretionary grants to help the needy persons of their constituencies. The government, however, failed to provide the list of needy persons or beneficiaries to whom the grants were released, the report said.
Indicting the purpose and the persons to whom such grants were given, the CAG recommended framing of rules and guidelines to ensure that funds are not misused.