The Fifth report of the High Level Committee (HLC) headed by Mr. V K Shunglu, once again confirms that there were gross acts of omission and commission, which facilitated undue gains to the contractors, leading to wasteful expenditure, which contributed to overall loss to the Government. The Report specifically mentions that “the malaise runs deep and cannot be dismissed as a “one off” aberration for which relatively junior functionaries alone can be held responsible. Officers of the Organisation concerned, who were involved, would have to be identified on the basis of further investigation and suitable action be taken”. The BJP would like to ask the Prime Minister to tell the nation as to what action he proposes to take against those involved and at what level.
The report of the committee has pointed out glaring irregularities in award of contracts and tenders, poor oversight and deliberate lack of monitoring, which led not only to undue advantage to few in contracts but also collusive bidding, hasty decisions, cost escalation and wasteful expenditure. The total loss was Rs. 1600 Crores in Stadium projects and the cost of delays alone amounted to Rs. 800 Crores. In all this apart from the Delhi Government, DDA, CPWD, NDMC, PWD bodies are involved. The committee has already earlier stated that the Chief Minister Smt. Sheila Dixit concentrated all the financial power in her hand while the organising committee headed by Mr. Kalmadi indulge in reckless acts of corruption and financial mismanagement causing severe loss of the taxpayers’ money.
From the Analysis and Conclusion of the Report it is apparent that there was a conspiracy from the very beginning to cause deliberate delay in the conclusion of the project in time, escalate the cost, seek more fund and award contracts at very high cost because of the short time span available. This would be evident from the fact that the organising committee awarded only 47 out of 542 contracts in between Oct. 2006 and Dec. 2009 (4 years) and when there was no time left it was forced to award 495 contracts in just 9 months i.e. January to September 2010. In fact, the highest numbers of contracts were awarded in September 2010 while 75 contracts were awarded in Oct. 2010 when the games were to start in November 2010. Therefore the committee has noted that the budget was revised at will and in almost all projects significant cost escalation has been observed. The committee has noted “it appears as if to economise was criminal and to splurge was civil”.
Apart from the role of the Delhi Government the Central Government exercises direct supervision and control over many bodies involved in the Games organisation like the CPWD and DDA, which comes under Ministry of Urban Development. As far as, sanction of additional funds are concerned the same was done by high powered committee having many officers of the PMO as well. Now when the Shunglu committee in its report has said other senior officers who were involved should be identified on the basis of further investigation and suitable action be taken against them; then the BJP would like to ask the Prime Minister would he allow fair and transparent investigation into the role of those who supervised, monitored, (Obviously, in the most disastrous manner) and sanctioned extra funds in a very hurried manner in top level bodies including those in the PMO.
This is the least the country expects from the Prime Minister because he set up this committee and promised follow up action as per the report. Now, Smt. Sheila Dixit, Delhi CM has openly questioned the report and in effect the Prime Minister. The BJP demands that all those responsible regardless of their stature or, the level from which they operated must be brought to book in a fair investigation. This is very important in view of the clear finding of the committee “that there was a method in the madness and the undue delay on projects was perhaps a deliberate attempt at higher levels to create a sense of panic with a view to giving undue advantage to all concerned.” Who are those sitting at higher levels are required to be identified and they must be suitably punished, the BJP demands.
The Prime Minister has already messed up the 2G Scam and the corruption relating to black money. But for strong Parliamentary pressure as well in the media and the intervention by the Court, the full dimension of corruption would have been allowed to remain under cover. Till date Mr Suresh Kalmadi has not been arrested and the Delhi Chief Minister who has a lot to answer is questioning the report itself. If the Prime Minister again maintains a conspicuous silence then it would be the final confirmation of his patronage of the corrupt.
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