MLALAD scheme suffers 'many deficiencies': CAG

CAG today picked holes in the Delhi government's MLALAD scheme saying that it suffered from "many deficiencies" and several revisions over the years had resulted in the gradual "dilution" of its guidelines.
In its report tabled in the Delhi Assembly, the government auditor said that the shortcomings had led to absence of clarity and transparency in implementation of the scheme.
"60 per cent of the funds in 3160 works involving expenditure Rs 227.36 crore was incurred on upkeep and improvement of existing assets which is not permissible under the guidelines and 585 works involving expenditure of Rs 61.94 crore were not specified in guidelines," it said.

The Scheme was introduced in Delhi in 1994-95 so as to enable MLAs to recommend works of development nature in their constituencies and the Urban Development Department (UDD) is the nodal department for the scheme.
"The UDD limited its role only to sanction and release of funds for whatsoever works recommended by MLAs. Absence of scrutiny of proposals and admissibility of recommended works at UDD, left a wide scope for inadmissible works getting sanctioned," it said.
It said the UDD sanctioned 248 works of Rs 39.90 crore without ensuring essential pre-requirements.
UDD overlooked the provisions of guidelines while entrusting 133 street lighting works to discoms during 2009-14 without routing the requisition through road owning agencies it said adding that although no formal agreement was signed, an advance payment of Rs 23.86 crore was also made to the companies.

"Works executed by the implementing agencies were marred with several irregularities such as excess expenditure, unauthorised cancellation/closing of sanctioned works, delay in award and completion of works, award of works without calling of tenders, it said.