Spokesperson: Shri Pawan Khera: He said that a preliminary report of the CAG has come down heavily on the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The CAG has pointed out on huge payments being made between July 2019 and December 2020 to CSC under this Ministry. This was a part of a tripartite agreement for Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of Optical Fiber Cable. Smell of a Scam Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has been awarding projects to private parties indirectly through CSC-SPV and its wholly owned subsidiary CSC Wi-Fi Choupal Services India Private Limited. The USOF has massive funds collected through percentage all operators give to the Government. The Government uses this for the Last Mile Network Connectivity (LMNC) and for the infrastructure created in rural areas. The modus operandi is the following - The Cash rich Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) fund devices new projects and takes approval from the Digital Communication Commission (DCC) for awarding these projects to CSC-SPV which in turn would pass these projects to CSC Choupal. The CSC Choupal would then assign these projects to private parties branded as Common Services Centers through a maze of private entities. As per the website of Department of Telecommunication (DoT), as in January 2021 the USOF had collected Rs. 1,12,650 Crores, out of which Rs. 57,433 Crores had been disbursed. We have the following questions for the Prime Minister: •Following the Preliminary report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) and these findings on the functioning of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, is the removal a Minister from the Union Cabinet enough? •What is the action you will take to punish those guilty of alleged siphoning off of funds to the tune of thousands of crores? •What is the connection between the BJP and CSC-SPV and its wholly owned subsidiary CSC Wi-Fi Choupal Services India Private Limited? •How much has the company or through any of its maze of companies which have benefitted by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology donated to the kitty of the BJP? •How many such companies exist using the Ashoka Emblem (State Emblem of India) and Government premises feigning as Government entities? We demand an independent, high-level, time bound enquiry into the goings of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Saturday, July 17, 2021