'Submit action-taken report of ongoing projects by Sept 30'

New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena reviewing the work of several agencies in the Capital has flagged various project execution and implementations. He has shared detailed observations and issued specific instructions to this effect to MCD, NDMC and DDA. Saxena has directed a thorough review of the existing work procedures for improvement of quality, financial probity and timely completion of all projects.

He has observed that the projects are invariably exceeding the deadline resulting in cost escalations, it said.

Taking a serious view of these issues, Saxena has asked all agencies to take necessary action and work towards ensuring that these projects are completed and implemented properly. He has told all agency heads that the original financial scope as per the administrative approval exceeds in a number of projects due to poor planning, delay in execution, poor financial probity resulting in major audit paras, major financial accounting irregularity (MFAI) or CVC enquiry cases.

Saxena added: "In some projects due to routine planning and estimation, the administrative approvals and technical sanctions are approved at much higher rates when compared to the tender accepted rates. This avoidable inflation of administrative approval/technical sanction, invariably results in faulty budgetary allocation thereby blocking limited public funds which otherwise could have been utilised for other projects." He also noted that in cases of PPP model projects, the agencies take a lackadaisical approach on the premise that the entire responsibility of the project lies on the firm/ agency executing the project which should not happen.

Accordingly, the L-G on August 11 issued the following directions: "It is advised to reduce the number of tenders and contracts by floating a single tender for annual operation and maintenance of various similarly placed projects." He further directed that officials at all levels involved in planning, execution and monitoring of civil/engineering projects should strictly adhere to the laid down rules and regulations both in letter and spirit.

He also instructed that the agencies must create a suitable deterrence mechanism wherein the defaulters are identified, responsibilities are fixed and exemplary action is taken in a time-bound manner to set the tone for efficient and smooth functioning.

The L-G will be reviewing the implementation of his directions and the effects achieved thereof, on a regular basis. He has asked for an action taken report on the instructions issued to his office by September 30, 2022.