Satisfaction among CRPF, BSF personnel low due to no quarters: CAG

New Delhi: The CAG has found that the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) like CRPF and BSF have provided very limited number of residential quarters leading to low satisfaction level among them.

In a report on construction activities in CAPFs, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India said satisfaction level in providing residential accommodation for personnel of CAPFs was ranging between 3 to 22 percent as on March 2014 as against the prescribed satisfaction level of 25 percent.

Construction activities, starting from land acquisition were marred by numerous problems. In land acquisitions, CAPFs failed to adhere to the time limit prescribed by the Home Ministry mainly due to their failures in identification of land, obtaining administrative approval and expenditure sanction, delay in depositing the cost of land with state governments etc.

"CAPFs did not pursue the matter with state governments for speedy completion of land acquisition process resulting in delays," the report said.

The CAG said there was complete absence of any planned interaction between higher authorities of CAPF or Home Ministry and state revenue departments for sorting out issues causing abnormal delay in acquisition of land. Audit examination found lapses in quality assurance measures as there was no system of inspection by quality assurance wing of the CPWD and it was observed that Public Works Organisations (PWOs) did not have a quality assurance
wing.

CAG found that instances of non-testing of material and water by the executing agencies were also noticed during audit. There was no provision of third party inspection and quality assurance in the MoU/ Agreement between CPWD/ PWOs and the client CAPFs, due to which third party monitoring was
altogether absent in all works of CAPFs.

"Audit also found cases where CAPFs failed to ensure utilisation of created assets for intended purpose. After taking over buildings, maintenance is essential for their proper up-keep and durability," it said.

Regular and systematic maintenance schedules (routine, annual, special, periodic etc.) enhance the durability of assets and the quality of working environment.

During site visits, audit noticed poor maintenance of government buildings, barracks and residential accommodation of jawans since maintenance procedures were missing or severely compromised.

The CAG said awarding the works to PWOs other than CPWD on payment of agency charges did not show any added advantage as delays and cost overruns persisted in the works executed by PWOs other than CPWD as well.

Audit carried out comparative analysis of the working of executing agencies which showed that agencies were at par when compared on different parameters.

Delays, deviations and cost overruns were noticed in the works executed by all agencies, while CPWD showed the highest cases of aberrations.

"The near absence of supervision of works by the CAPFs did not reflect an inspiring state of affairs and the absence of an engineering wing was not a valid excuse. Overall, the required coordination and sense of mutual engagement between the MHA, the CAPFs and the executing agencies was found
missing," the CAG said in its report.