VIJAYAWADA: As a part of the government’s decision to review all the under execution engineering projects sanctioned by the previous regime, the Water Resources department has directed all its engineers-in-chief and chief engineers to furnish the details of the projects with less than 25 per cent of progress (including those not launched) along with the information related to pending bills — including those of land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement, of such works, and other pending commitments. The officials were asked to submit the details ‘on priority’ by October 3, as per the finance department’s request.
Even though principal finance secretary (PFS) SS Rawat, last month, had written to the head of departments (HoDs) requesting the submission of details, the water resources department had not furnished the details. After ‘expressing discontent’, the PFS convened a meeting with all the HoDs and officials on Monday and informed them the proforma of submitting the details.
With this, the Engineer-in-Chief (Irrigation works) of the Water Resources department, on Tuesday, directed all the officials to give the information by Thursday. Polavaram Irrigation Project chief engineer Sudhakar Babu too instructed his office to comply with the orders.
The government in June issued an order cancelling all the works awarded prior to April 1, 2019, but were not launched. Those launched but with less than 25 per cent of progress, the order said, would be reviewed and all the payments would be stopped until a fresh clearance is obtained.
PFS SS Rawat on September 18, made modifications to the review orders stating that certain projects would be reviewed by the department concerned and then referred to the Ministry of Finance for clearance. He directed the departments to furnish the details so that the ministry could review the details and take a decision accordingly.
PFS’ discontent
Though principal finance secretary had written to the HoDs, the water resources department had not furnished the details. After ‘expressing discontent’, the PFS convened a meeting with all the HoDs and informed them the proforma of submitting the details.