Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir Public Works Department has executed more than 1400 works amounting to Rs 331 crore without administrative approvals, despite repeated recommendations for it by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
"Test-check of PWD record revealed that 1301 works (32 test checked Divisions) have been executed at a cost of Rs 294.66 crore during 2006-11 without administrative approval (AA) and technical sanctions (TS) from the Government", CAG report for the year ending March 31, 2011 stated.
Similarly violating the State Financial Code, 136 building works were taken up for execution by 18 divisions between 2008-11 in anticipation of AA/TS and Rs 36.47 crore were spent thereon as of March 2011, CAG said.
As per Rule 9.3 of the State Financial Code, obtaining of AA/TS is a pre-requisite for taking up a project, report said.
The executive engineers stated that applications for accord of administrative approvals were submitted to higher authorities but approvals thereof were awaited, it said.
The execution of works without AA/TS continued despite this being pointed out to the executing divisions and chief engineers through the annual inspection reports and to the government through annual audit reports, CAG added.
Expressing concern, the CAG report said, the matter was referred to the Government last September and its reply is still awaited.
"Taking up of the works, as such, besides being irregular puts in question the physical and financial viability of the projects under execution", it stressed.
The CAG also indicted the J&K government`s PWD for executing 1328 works without approval, thereby creating a liability of Rs 110 crores.
Of these works, 890 with Rs 89.60 crore were done in Jammu and 438 for Rs 21.66 crore in Kashmir region.
Chief engineer PWD, Jammu stated in October 2010 that the schemes were mostly executed unapproved and had been taken up on the directions of concerned ministers, MPs and MLAs.
"The reply was in violation of financial code which prohibits taking up of works without ensuring availability of funds", the CAG report said.
PTI
