In a move to increase public participation in Government functioning, the Delhi Government has issued a notification, adopting the Swiss Challenge method to award projects in nine departments including transport, housing, communication, redevelopment, roads, water, tourism, security and solid waste management.
Under the Swiss Challenge method, a Public Private Partnership (PPP) cell has already been set up in the Public Works Department (PWD) of Delhi Government. Under Swiss Challenge, any person with necessary credentials can submit a proposal, which will be published online.
The Swiss Challenge method is one that has been used in India by various States including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Gujarat for roads and housing projects.
The Union cabinet in July had given its approval to develop 400 railway stations using this method. This method of awarding contracts also got its approval from the Supreme Court in 2009. This method can be applied to projects that are taken up on a PPP basis but can also be used to supplement PPP in sectors that are not covered under the PPP framework.
In Swiss Challenge method, any person with necessary credentials can submit a proposal, which will be published online. Any other person can give suggestions to better that proposal. However, the initial bidder will get the first option to improve on the counter-proposal. In case the initial bidder is unable to better the competing counter proposal, the project will go to the counter proposer.
According to notification, an expert committee will be headed by Principal Secretary (PWD) as chairman while E-in Chief (projects), representatives of finance, urban development, planning, land owning department, other stakeholder departments would be members of the committee. The committee will accept the best proposal and the original proposer will get a chance to accept it if it is an improvement on his proposal. In case the original proposer is not able to match the more attractive and competing counter proposal, the project will be awarded to the counter-proposal. Before granting the in principal approval, the committee will have to obtain the approval of the cabinet.
To begin with, the proponent of an innovative idea proposal (UNP) will submit the preliminary project report and techno economic credentials to the Public Private Partnership (PPP) cell. The PPP cell will receive the proposal and also obtain comments of the departments concerned as well as the E-in-Chief (projects) PWD.
“This is a move to increase public participation in Government functioning. The Cabinet has given its approval to the method on September 15; now, it is up to the various departments on what projects (to use) and how best they use the method,” the official added.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi Government which was born out of an anti-corruption campaign has been making attempts to bring transparency in governance through participatory governance and budget making process.