 Avinash Azad
Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 14: Throwing rule books into bin, a powerful XEn, in Rural Development Department has spent Rs 1.50 cr on the renovation of Panchyat Bhawan, which was commissioned in September 2012 without inviting tenders.
"On an estimate Rs 1.50 cr is to be spent on renovation, so far Rs 50 lacs have been released, while rest amount can be released any time", sources said and added that huge amount is being drained from state exchequer for renovation.
"On 7th September 2012, the then Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ali Mohammad Sagar, in presence of the then Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla and Minister of State for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Haj and Auqaf Ajaz Ahmed Khan inaugurated 4-storeid Panchayat Bhawan, at Rail Head, Jammu", they added.
They further said that the complex had been constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.48 crore with a conference hall, lobby, reception, dining, office, toilet blocks and kitchen besides housing facilities for Sarpanchs and Panchs. Picking loopholes in the entire renovation process, the sources said that in absence of accountability and transparency, works were executed on exorbitant rates.
According to sources, the state government has made tendering mandatory for any work beyond five lacs. "But prevailing anarchy in Rural Development Department can be gauged from the fact that no rules were flouted by the department while executing 'unnecessary' renovation works under active support from Secretariat", they alleged.
They further alleged that on similar pattern, the department in Jammu district has constructed common facility centre worth Rs 50 lacs without invited tenders. "A powerful engineer, in RDD runs the show on his own", they said and added that in Kashmir, all works beyond five lacs, are being executed through tendering process to prevent pilferage of public money, but here in Jammu, there is no rule for department.
"Interestingly, the Panchayat Bhawan, was completed at the total cost of Rs 1.48 Crore, while the cost of renovation has mounted to Rs 1.50 Crore, bleeding the state exchequer" said sources in RDD. |
