Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 10: In blatant violation of Financial Code and other relevant provisions, Jammu and Kashmir Police Housing Corporation has executed Rs 305 crore worth works without adopting tendering process during the past four years.
These startling revelations were made by none else than the Chief Minister, who is also Minister Incharge Home in the written reply to the question of BJP MLA from Ramnagar Ranbir Singh Pathania in the Legislative Assembly today.
In the year 2014-15, 130 works worth Rs 108.86 crore were executed by the Police Housing Corporation without floating tenders while as in 2015-16, 73 works worth Rs 83.77 crore got executed by completely ignoring the Financial Code. Similarly, 68 works worth Rs 71.53 crore and 14 works worth Rs 41.36 crore were executed in 2016-17 and 2017-18 respectively without floating tenders, which otherwise is considered as proper and transparent procedure.
“Police Headquarters has informed that Police Housing Corporation has not allotted these works through tendering process as it is working on piece workers system”, the Home Minister said, adding “the Police Housing Corporation invites tenders in rare cases but the rate structure of Corporation is competitive as compared to other executing agencies of the State”.
However, the Chief Minister said that Board of Directors has authorized the Police Housing Corporation to execute work on piece workers system but there are strict directions for ensuring quality of work.
“The Police Housing Corporation while getting the works executed through piece workers system retains 5% of the bill amount as performance guarantee instead of CDR which is released only after six months of completion of the project and its handing over to the indenting department”, the Home Minister further said.
It is pertinent to mention here that Police Housing Corporation (PHC) is executing construction works of J&K Police. The Corporation is headed by a Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the rank of Inspector General of Police who is assisted by Superintending Engineer, Executive Engineers, Assistant Executive Engineers and Junior Engineers.
About the works executed by the Police Construction Division, the Home Minister said, “as per the Police Headquarters out of 200 works allotted to Police Construction Division during the year 2017-18 165 works were tendered”, adding “the PCD has also tendered 135 works during last three years under the relevant provisions of PWD norms”.
“However, in case of remaining works extreme exigency from security point of view demands instant execution of works in a fixed time-frame. These works are being executed on sanctioned schedule of rates without compromising quality and laid down provisions by the Police Construction Division”, the Home Minister said.
“The Police Construction Division secures additional CDR wherever required in those tendering cases where quoted rates are 15% below the advertized cost as per the laid down procedure”, the Minister said.
The reply has made it clear that there are two different yardsticks for the Police Housing Corporation and Police Construction Division, which otherwise is not justified in anyway.
It is a matter of concern that while the Government is laying thrust on e-tendering of all the works the Police Housing Corporation has been allowed to get the works worth hundreds of crores of rupees executed without adopting the transparent procedure.
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