Assam Government Spent Over Rs 47 Crore on Big Global Consultancy Firms, RTI Reveals

A recent Right to Information (RTI) request has revealed that the Assam government has paid more than Rs 47 crore to well-known international consulting companies over several years. These firms include Deloitte, Ernst & Young (E&Y), PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and KPMG.

This information came to light after Rakesh Hazarika, Executive Director of the Centre for Efficient Governance, filed the RTI application. He received responses from only a few Assam government departments and autonomous bodies. However, many other departments and public sector organizations did not respond, which raises concerns about transparency.

Who Received the Most Payments?

According to the available data, the Assam Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural Services Society (ARIASP), which works under the Agriculture Department, paid the largest amount — Rs 23.43 crore — to these consultancy firms.

Here’s a breakdown of how the payments were made:

• Deloitte got Rs 4.17 crore for four different projects, including work on the Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART) and the Assam Agricultural Competitiveness Project – Agri Finance (AACP-AF).
• PwC was paid Rs 12.98 crore for three projects related to APART.
• Ernst & Young (E&Y) received Rs 6.28 crore for two APART projects.

Payments by Other Departments

• The Institutional Finance Department shared that it paid Rs 8.41 crore to Deloitte and PwC. Deloitte was paid Rs 26.55 lakh to develop the Digital Infrastructure for Direct Benefit Transfer (DIDS), while PwC received Rs 8.15 crore for designing, commissioning, and maintaining this system.
• The Transformation & Development Department spent Rs 2.21 crore on KPMG and E&Y. KPMG worked on two projects and received Rs 27.52 lakh and Rs 41.29 lakh respectively. E&Y earned Rs 1.53 crore for one project.
• The Commissionerate of Industries and Commerce paid a total of Rs 13.80 crore to Deloitte and Ernst & Young. Deloitte got Rs 26.19 lakh for one project, and E&Y received Rs 13.54 crore for another major project. Deloitte was also involved in implementing the PM Vishwakarma Scheme, funded by the Government of India.

Missing Financial Details from Some Bodies

• The Assam State Housing Board admitted it hired KPMG for the development of its headquarters under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model but did not share how much they paid.
• The Assam Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (AIIDC) confirmed that Ernst & Young acted as a knowledge partner for the Assam Startup Incubation Centre — called The Nest — and prepared a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a flatted factory in Chabua, Dibrugarh. However, they did not disclose any financial information.

Concerns About Transparency

Rakesh Hazarika expressed his worries about the RTI findings. He said, “This information shows how important these global consulting companies have become in Assam’s public governance. While some departments shared details about their consultancy payments, 45 others stayed silent. This lack of response is very troubling because it questions how open and accountable the government really is with public money.”

He also stressed that citizens have the right to know how government funds are spent and who influences government projects and policies.

“I have already filed a second appeal with the Assam State Information Commission to force the remaining departments to reveal their consultancy contracts,” Hazarika added.

Summary of Payments to Consultancy Firms

Based on the limited replies received so far, the total payments to these big firms are:

• Ernst & Young: Rs 28.04 crore (highest amount received)
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC): Rs 14.43 crore
• Deloitte: Rs 4.70 crore
• KPMG: Rs 68.8 lakh

Since many departments have not yet responded, the actual amount paid to these consultancies might be much higher.

Why This Matters

The Centre for Efficient Governance filed this RTI to promote transparency and keep track of the growing involvement of private consultancy firms in government decision-making. The lack of information from many government bodies casts doubt on Assam’s transparency and public spending accountability.