Financial Irregularities Found in Government Funded Cancer Research Project in India

A significant financial irregularity has come to light in a government-funded cancer research project at Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. The project, which started in 2011, aimed to develop treatment methods for complex diseases using cow dung and urine. Despite receiving a substantial budget of 3.5 crore rupees from the state government, the project has not yielded any visible results over the past decade.

Recently, a district administration-led investigation, under the direction of an additional collector, examined the financial records from 2011 to 2018. The findings revealed irregularities in the expenditure of nearly 1.92 crore rupees for the purchase of raw materials like cow dung and urine, which could have been acquired for just 15 to 20 lakh rupees in the market.

The investigation also uncovered excessive travel costs for airfares and the unauthorized purchase and maintenance of a 7.5 lakh rupee car, whose whereabouts are now unknown. There are no records for expenses claimed under the guise of farmer training programs, and purchases for furniture and electronic equipment have been deemed unnecessary by the inquiry committee.

While the university administration has denied all allegations, claiming that purchases were made following government procedures and audits, the investigation report has been forwarded to the Divisional Commissioner for further legal action.

Source: The India Express