Dept failed to build museum despite funds: CAG report

 Sushil Manav

Chandigarh, April 24

The Archaeology and Museums Department, Haryana, failed to construct a museum and an office building despite availability of land and funds and the department suffered a loss of interest of Rs 85.65 lakh. It also paid an avoidable rent of Rs 56.26 lakh.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) said this in its recent report. It said that with to protect, preserve and display the archaeological wealth by constructing a state-level museum along with offices, the Director, Archaeology and Museums, Haryana, purchased in August 1996 a two acres plot at a cost of Rs 24.23 lakh in Sector 5, Panchkula, from the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA). 

The state government accorded administrative approval for Rs 92.4 lakh in March 2001 for the construction of the State Archaeological Museum by the Haryana Tourism Corporation (HTC).

An amount of Rs 92.4 lakh was deposited in March 2001 with the HTC for construction works.

Subsequently, in April 2003, the government reconsidered the decision to construct the museum at Panchkula considering its location at the extreme corner of the state and instead decided to set up the State Archaeological Museum in Kurukshetra.

However, the land provided by the Tourism Department in Kurukshetra was reportedly not found suitable for setting up the museum.

Thereafter, at a meeting held under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, Haryana, in December 2007, it was again decided to utilise the already purchased plot in Sector 5, Panchkula, for the construction of the museum.

The issue, however, remained undecided as of December 2015.

The department continued to function from various government and private buildings from April 2001 to December 2015 and an expenditure of Rs 56.26 lakh was incurred on the account of rent of private buildings.

The Additional Chief Secretary, Archaeology and Museum Department, said in August 2015 that the construction of museum and a combined office building was delayed due to the transfer of the museum site to Kurukshetra and again to Panchkula.