Performance
Uttarakhand

Report No.2 of 2018 - Performance audit on Reconstruction of Infrastructure Post 2013 Disaster in Uttarakhand, Government of Uttarakhand

Date on which Report Tabled:
Fri 22 Feb, 2019
Date of sending the report to Government:
Thu 13 Dec, 2018
Government Type:
State
Sector Social Infrastructure,General Sector Ministries and Constitutional Bodies

Overview

Uttarakhand witnessed a devastating natural disaster during 15 to 17 June 2013 in the form of cloud bursts and heavy to very heavy rainfall in most parts of the higher reaches of Himalayas. This unprecedented rainfall resulted in flash floods and landslides at various locations and caused widespread damage to life and property. Some major findings are given below:

Management of Funds

Against agreed Government of India (GoI) outlay of Rs. 1,709.03 crore for centrally sponsored schemes (CSS), the State could avail only an amount of Rs. 215.89 crore. Against the approved State share of Rs. 426.38 crore, the State released and utilised Rs. 567.19 crore. An amount of Rs. 294.64 crore, which stood at 6.38 per cent of the Medium and Long Term Reconstruction (MLTR) releases (Rs. 4,617.27 crore) under various funding sources, were diverted for execution of unplanned works. Undue benefit of Rs. 5.96 crore was given by the Project Implementing Units (PIUs) to the contractors.

Roads, Bridges and Trek Routes

The MLTR package was meant only for those works which were related to 2013 disaster. However, out of 525 works of roads and bridges, 119 road works and 14 bridges costing Rs. 96.08 crore were included in the approved list of SPA-R which were not related to damages caused by June 2013 disaster. Non-adherence of departmental provisions/standing orders/technical specifications resulted in an extra/avoidable expenditure of Rs. 58.52 crore in 28 road and five bridge works. Against 2400 km State Highways/Major District Roads/Uttarakhand State Road Improvement Programme roads and 16 Bridges identified as damaged by the disaster, the PIU-R&B Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project(UEAP) took up the reconstruction works for only 1,968.11 km (82 per cent) roads and no bridge work was taken up. 

Tourism Infrastructure

Out of 113 houses sanctioned under SPA-R for Rs. 38.63 crore for construction for the Tirth Purohits at Kedarnath town, only 40 houses were taken up for construction by Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM). None of the houses has been completed even after lapse of more than two years from date of sanction. Remaining 73 houses could not be started due to non-finalisation of Detailed Project Reports/Drawings and agreements with beneficiaries and non-allotment of land by the Government Authorities.

Irrigation and Flood Control

Six Flood Protection Works (FPW) (costing Rs. 64.28 crore) out of 74 works submitted for approval pertained to period earlier than the disaster of June 2013.  These six FPWs were either already under consideration of the Department or were in the process of being sanctioned after due clearance of the Technical Advisory Committee of the Department well before the disaster of June 2013.

Power and Energy

Despite sanction of entire approved outlay (Rs. 17.60 crore) for Uttarakhand Renewal Energy Development Agency (UREDA)under SPA-R for restoration of 46 Small Hydro Projects (SHPs), UREDA obtained additional non-refundable funds of Rs. 181.24 lakh for 25 SHPs from the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) India Ltd (Central-PSU) and Rs. 91.73 lakh for 11 SHPs from the respective district authorities under NDRF/SDRF. Restoration works of three SHPs of 5.45 MW by UJVNL and four SHPs of 4.8 MW by UREDA were yet to be taken-up/completed despite allocation of additional funds of Rs. 25.32 crore by the State Government to UJVNL.

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