BELAGAVI: The Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) has found several serious anomalies in the execution of works pertaining to upgrading infrastructure and civic amenities under the third phase of the Mukhyamanti Nagarothana Yojane in city corporations across the state at an estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crore.
CAG, in its audit of the scheme from 2014 to 2020-21, noted that the action plans, which were prepared without following the government guidelines, were not comprehensive as there was the absence of need-based analysis in the planning and selection of works. Singling out Ballari and Mysuru city corporations, the report has said, they accorded approvals to revised action plans without the concurrence of District Urban Development Cells.
It pointed out that corporations failed to adhere to limits prescribed in the scheme for various categories of works, which resulted in non-selection of works related to traffic management, water supply and underground drainage ignoring the overall development of cities. Funds of Rs 108.75 crore have been spent for works taken up in contravention of the guidelines.
The report found out that the works were executed without basic data and conducting stipulated investigations, leading to the preparation of unrealistic and defective estimates.
The project management consultants did not satisfy the mandatory criteria such as financial turnover, experience and availability of technically qualified key professionals and were, therefore, liable to be rejected as technically non-responsive.