Maya memorial fetish draws CAG ire

Only matchless Mayawati can do thisIJ She diverted almost 100 per cent budget of the Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam limited for the construction of four memorials in memory of Dalit icons during her regime between 2007 and 2012 drawing the ire of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

The CAG made a critical remark on the exorbitant expenditure when it said that the UP Rajkiya Nirman Nigam limited, the main executing agency for the construction of memorials, was allotted 98.61 per cent of the total financial outlay of Rs 4558.01 crore. The report of the CAG was tabled in the UP Assembly on Tuesday.

The four memorials, which were constructed with government funds, are Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal, Kanshiram Smarak Sthal, Bauddh Vihar Shanti Upvan, Eco Park and Kanshiram Green (Eco) Garden in lucknow. The New Okhla Industrial Development Authority sanctioned the construction of memorial at Noida (Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal).The Nirman Nigam is meant to construct infrastructure in the state like bridges, culverts and roads. But during the BSP regime, the money was diverted for the construction of memorials.

The CAG said that expenditure finance committee did not examine the necessity and expediency aspects of the projects. The original sanctioned outlay of Rs 943.73 crore for these projects was finally revised to Rs 4558.01 crore with the hike ranging from 192 to 986 per cent.The excess expenditure of Rs 10.53 crore was incurred by the executing agency while it made avoidable payment of taxes of Rs 4.05 crore and failed to deduct VAT at source of Rs 3.64 crore.

The report added that the selection of consultants for comprehensive consultancy and architectural services was not made through competitive bidding while excess payment of Rs 2.31 crore was made to consultants after payment at higher rates for repetitive works and incorrect calculation of project.The CAG pointed out that projects were never conceived as a whole resulting in additions of new works of Rs 3537.68 crore during execution phases of works. There were frequent amendments in the drawing and design of  projects entailing dismantling/demolition of constructed structures resulting in further expenditure of Rs 29.62 crore.

The executing agency failed to generate adequate competition leading to receipt of higher rates which could not be detected due to incorrect analysis of rates resulting in award of works at higher rates and excess expenditure of Rs 397.90 crore. The agency also procured both rough size and cut size of Mirzapur sandstones at the same rate during the same period resulting in extra expenditure of Rs 16.11 crore.The report said that the excess expenditure of Rs 12.74 crore was incurred on procurement of bronze murals, fountains and capitals due to incorrect computation of rates, awards of excess rates and non-consideration of actual weight for payment respectively.