JODHPUR: The Jodhpur Development Authority (JDA) opened its coffers ahead of the assembly election to appease the electorates and provide undue monetary gains to some people in many ways without caring for the budgetary provisions and financial capacity of the JDA. The Anti-Corruption Bureau obtained all the files pertaining to the financial irregularities on Saturday and registered a preliminary enquiry (PE) against the officials, engineers and other staff of the JDA. "We have registered a PE against officials, engineers and staff, not by name yet, and would proceed to file an FIR by name after the completion of our investigation", said the ASP and acting DIG (ACB) Narpat Singh.

The ACB has obtained over four dozen files pertaining to civil and electrical works along with the measurement books of the civil works. According to sources, these files also include indiscriminate expenditures on the visits of the then CM Ashok Gehlot, which he had paid for a whirlwind foundation stone laying and inauguration ceremonies just before the code of conduct was applied during assembly elections. The JDA heavily spent on the arrangements in these functions such as tents, marquees and other arrangements.

In an example, about Rs 1.50 crore were spent on only tents. According to sources, most of these irregularities have their origin in two meetings held in August and September 2013, in which the JDA officials issued orders for various works recklessly with a single aim of mint political and financial benefits at the cost of development of the city and welfare of the citizens.

In these sanctions, the officials accorded additional approvals worth Rs 300 crore and many of these approvals were given for work on private properties. These indiscriminate decisions pushed the JDA into a state where it is not able to pay the contractors. After having an overdraft from banks, the JDA is now looking forward to a loan of Rs 100 crore from HUDCO.

On account of non-payment to the contractors, they have refused to continue with the developmental works and have also stalled others works which were under progress. JDA and Jodhpur Municipal Corporation (JMC) together had invited tenders worth Rs 700 crore about two weeks ahead of the election code of conduct, which included works like community halls, sewerage lines, parks, walls, computer and library rooms and high-mast lights etc. Most of these were in Gehlot`s Sardarpura constituency.

The desperation to get the credit and convert it into votes was so much that Ashok Gehlot went to Jodhpur 7 times from September 1 to October 2, 2013. He inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of close to 50 projects. According to an estimate, JDA alone had issued the work orders of about Rs 5,000 crore in about two years ahead of the elections with no consideration at all as to how and where this payment will be arranged from.

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