PWD works in JK not up to mark: CAG

"Despite huge spending in the sector (PWD), the outcome has not been up to the mark primarily due to non- prioritisation of schemes," stated the CAG report for the year ended March 31, 2011.

Besides non-prioritisation of schemes, PWD took up unapproved schemes for execution and spent huge money on them without ensuring that the land on which the works are being executed are free from all encumbrances, it said.

State Roads and Buildings Department is mandated with the construction and maintenance of roads, bridges and buildings in the state in government sector.

The report said financial management of PWD department was inadequate due to lack of proper budgetary control manifesting in persistent excesses over allocations, rush of expenditure at the fag end of the year, delays in release of funds and excess release of loan component to field offices.

The programme implementation was inefficient and suffered from delays in completion of works, execution of works without invitation of tenders, irregular extensions of works, unrealistic estimation and cost and time overruns, execution of works without accord of administrative approvals and technical sanctions, the report said.

Quality control measures were deficient due to non- establishment of material testing laboratories and non-conduct of adequate quality control tests, the CAG said.

"Internal control mechanism in the department to evaluate, monitor the execution of projects was virtually non-existent," it said.