Bhubaneswar, Sept. 25 -- A compliance audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has revealed major irregularities in tribal development funds in Odisha. The report found that government officials misused public money intended for the socio-economic development of Scheduled Tribes.
The audit, which covered 11 Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDAs) from 2018-19 to 2022-23, exposed instances of misappropriation. Junior and Assistant Engineers were found making personal transactions from official accounts. These included ATM cash withdrawals, UPI payments for insurance premiums, and mobile phone recharges, totalling Rs 148.75 crore. The CAG report said these transactions indicate suspected misappropriation of public f...