Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 23: NPP MLA and Chairman, Harshdev 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.
Flaying the total anarchy and financial mess in the PWD, the NPP MLA said that CAG report and the RTI replies had brought to fore several other skeletons in the cupboards of the said department. He said that last CAG report has pointed out that an un-authorized liability of Rs. 110.82 crore was created on account of un-approved works but regretfully the department has failed to book the culprits till date.
The PWD has beaten all records of executing “works without tenders” during the last three years, he alleged, adding in response to RTI application moved by him the department has admitted that total number of works executed departmentally in Jammu province alone was 773 in 2008-09 costing Rs. 1188.79 lakh, 2225 in 2009-10 costing Rs. 4384.11 lakh and 1906 in 2010-11 costing Rs. 3328.21 lakh. Likewise the number of departmentally executed works was more than 5000 in various Districts of Kashmir Division, he maintained and regretted that no action had been taken in this regard by the helmsmen despite repeated rejoinders.
Further alleging total failure of PMGSY scheme in the State, Singh regretted that the PMGSY, which was the most ambitious flag-ship scheme, launched by the Government of India, had become a casualty of the official red tape, bureaucracy and non-governance and had failed to accomplish the targets fixed by Government of India.
He said that large scale omissions and commissions in the department called for a thorough probe into its working, and urged upon the Governor to intervene to prevent the public exchequer from further loot and plunder.
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