Points out inordinate delay in execution of works
Ibni Maqbool
Srinagar, Sep 27: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has castigated J&K’s Roads & Buildings Department for inflated utilisation certificates, executing works without Detailed Project Reports(DPRs) and inordinate delay in completion of works.
The audit report for the year ended March 31, 2017 reveals that test-check of records of 10 divisions revealed that without incurring expenditure in full, inflated UCs were submitted to the higher authorities.
“Against an expenditure of Rs 83.39 crore under NABARD and Rs 3.59 crore under CRF incurred during December 2016 to February 2017, t he divisions had furnished UCs for Rs 135 crore and Rs 5.95 crore respectively,” reads the report.
The report lays bare that audit test-check of 442 road works of State Plan revealed that 244 of them were executed without DPR on which expenditure of Rs 284.33 crore was been incurred.
“It was also observed that all the 442 road works were not administratively approved by the competent authorities. As such, execution of road works without AA and DPRs was not only irregular, but also ran the risk of time and cost overruns and even abandonment of works midway due to inadequate/ incorrect estimation,” it states.
The auditor has also slammed the authorities for delay in completion of works under different schemes in R&B sector.
“Road works sanctioned under NABARD during 2005-06 to 2012-13 were not completed even after a time overrun of one to eight years. In test-check it was seen that 173 road works could not be completed due to land disputes/ forest clearance/ diversion of funds/ non/ less release of state share,” reads the report.
The auditor has also pointed out that State Plan projects suffered completion adversely due to inadequate availability of funds as well as due to not resolving land disputes, not obtaining forest clearance etc. by the Department/ State Government.
“Out of the 707 incomplete road works as of March 2017, audit test-checked 435 road works in Jammu Division and noticed that these road works which were taken up for execution upto 2015-16 at an estimated cost of Rs 945.59 crore could not be completed within the stipulated period due to inadequate funding/ land disputes/ compensation, forest clearances, etc. Even after delay of one to three years and incurring an expenditure of Rs 341.49 crore, these road works/ schemes could not be completed as of March 2017,” reads the report.
The CAG has also questioned the department for failing to maintain asset registers and absence of policy of maintenance and repair of roads.
“No asset registers of roads and buildings were maintained by the test-checked divisions and no policy of maintenance and repair of roads and buildings was found on records. The basis of formulation of estimates and schedule of periodical maintenance and repair of roads and buildings was not intimated. However, huge expenditure was incurred by the Department on maintenance and repair on account of Annual Repair, Special Repair, Normal Repair and Renewal coating of roads and buildings. An expenditure of Rs 15 crore was incurred by the Department on maintenance and repair against allotted amount of Rs 19.54 crore for the year 2016-17,” the report states.
“Many BJP leaders were alive in the party in Kashmir due to Madhav. Now these leaders will have to look for other mentors to survive as not many BJP leaders in the Valley have been able to make their presence felt on the ground.”
