Officials of different utility organisations under Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources squandered Tk 74.20 crore in a single year through corruption and inefficiency, revealed the latest annual audit report.

The comptroller and Auditor General's office conducted a partial audit of 1996-97 accounts of Power Development Board (PDB) and Dhaka Electric Supply Authority (DESA) and some donor funded projects under the ministry and submitted the report to President

Shahabuddln Ahmed and to the parliament secretariat recently.

Of the misappropriated amount, PDB and DESA account for Tk 45.30 crore and three utility organisations Power Development Board, Rural Elec-trification Board and Petrobangla Tk 28.90 crore In 46 donor funded projects under Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

PDB and DESA gave house rent allowance to its officials and staff more than they are allowed

and some officials of the utility organisations also drew house rent with their salary In spite of the fact that they resided in official quarters.

Officials concerned also failed to realise pending biTSs from subscribers whose lines were disconnected and also mysteriously' did not realise fines Imposed on people who took electric lines illegally, the report said.

The major cause for loss in foreign funded projects as mentioned in the audit report is that officials concerned did not deposit the money procured through selling tender schedule, income tax and VAT to the national exchequer.

The officials involved in those projects also realised a lesser amount of VAT. income tax and payment for departmental equipment than they should have from contractors. It was also found that project officials drew more salary than they are allowed and spent more money on projects than allowed by budget, the report said.

Hie projects are rehabilitation of different power stations, area wise electrification, natural gas development and gas line installation.

The project implementation authorities are Water Development Board, F’ower Development Board. Rural Electrification Board. Petrobangla. Health Directorate and Family Planning Directorate.