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| Powerful, well knit mafia operational in PWD: Harsh | | More than 9000 works in R&B executed without tenders | | ET Plus Report
Jammu, Mar 19 : National Panthers Party (NPP) Chairman Harsh Dev Singh has expressed grave concern over the unprecedented leakage and pilferage in Public Works department and swindling of major portion of the developmental funds in the process of execution of planned works.
He claimed that 75-80% of developmental funds earmarked for construction of roads, bridges and other public utility concerns were siphoned off in the form of commissions, undue profiteering and other unwholesome bargains leaving only around 20% of available funds for utilization on the ground.
He deplored that while the riches of the higher ups in the Deptt. Swelled in the process, the people who are supposed to be ultimate beneficiaries of the schemes have been bereft of the benefits of projects envisaged under the schemes. He lamented the most reprehensible approach of the higher authorities who had chosen to ignore and disregard the persistent public outbursts against the blatantly irregular and corrupt practices prevailing in the Deptt. with the result that the malaise had aggravated manifold during the last few years.
He alleged that there was a powerful and well Knit mafia operating In the deptt. having full blessings of the helmsman and it was this mafia which decided all issues including Allotments of works, Transfers and postings, issue of Payments for work done liabilities etc.
Flaying the total anarchy and financial mess in the PWD, Harsh Dev Singh said that CAG report and the RTI replies had brought to fore several other skeletons in the cupboards of the said Deptt. He said that CAG report presented in the House on the last day of Previous Budget session has pointed out that an un-authorized liability of Rs. 110.82 crore was created on account of un-approved works but regretfully the deptt. has failed to book the culprits till date.
He further questioned govt's silence on the said CAG report which has indicted the Deptt. for procurement of materials from open market and spending Rs. 62.47 crore in violation of stipulated procedures. Likewise, the R&B (PWD) has been accused in the CAG report of diversions of Rs. 16.30 crore in contravention of prescribed norms but the govt. has again chosen to hibernate for reasons best known to all.
Harsh Dev Singh further pointed out the large scale violations of codal formalities in the execution of works by R&B (PWD) Deptt. in the state. He said that thousands of construction works have been awarded to blue eyed contractors by the Public works deptt. in violation of all prescribed norms. He said that the PWD has beaten all records of executing "works without tenders" during the last three years.
He said that in response to RTI application moved by him the deptt. Has admitted that total number of works executed Departmentally in Jammu province alone was 773 in 2008-09 costing Rs. 1188.79 lacs, 2225 in 2009-10 costing Rs. 4384.11 lacs and 1906 in 2010-11 costing Rs. 3328.21. He said that likewise the number of departmentally executed works was more than 5000 in various Districts of Kashmir Division and was expected to be much higher as only part information had been received. |
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