VIJAYAWADA: The State government has constituted an eight-member expert committee to examine the processes followed by the Telugu Desam government in tendering, launching and executing engineering works in water resources, Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA), roads and buildings (R and B), municipal administration and urban development, rural water supply and other departments.
The committee, which Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said would be constituted to prevent corruption and rectify discrepancies in the projects, will submit its report within 45 days.
According to the Government Order issued by special chief secretary (water resources) Adityanath Das on Friday, the committee will comprise of seven members: retired chief engineer Abdul Basheer, retired engineer-in-chief (ENC), (irrigation) L Narayana Reddy, former president of Structural Engineers Association of India, P Suryaprakash, retired ENC (R and B) P Subbaraya Sharma, retired ENC(R and B) FCS Peter, retired director of APGenco I Adisheshu, and retired chief engineer of Central Designs Organisation ISN Raju.
The chief technical examiner of water resources department will be the convener of the committee.
The committee will examine those engineering works for which less than 25 per cent of financial progress has been billed, for which work orders were issued but agreement has not been signed and those for which agreement has been signed but no progress has been achieved.
It will also suggest a provision for reverse tendering, besides preparing a model tender document to be followed by all departments.
The projects being executed/awarded under centrally-sponsored schemes, externally-aided projects, Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sanchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and NABARD would not be in the committee’s scope of work.
“Packages and works which have not been grounded yet may be closed without any penalty to the agency whatsoever. The departments concerned may take up any of those works, if found essential, separately by obtaining orders from an appropriate and competent authority,” the GO read.
The committee, for which the water resources department would be the nodal agency, also has powers to constitute a sub-committee or task force if required.
The new government on May 30 directed all the departments to stop all engineering works tendered before April 1 this year, but haven’t been grounded or achieved 25 per cent progress.
The decision was taken to lighten the burden on State exchequer as some of the projects were sanctioned by the TDP government even by relaxing Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) norms.
After examining the projects, the committee will make recommendations to the government on the necessary action to be taken with regard to works where less than 25 per cent physical progress has been achieved.