Audit Reports
Gujarat
Report No.1 of 2018 - Economic Sector Government of Gujarat
Overview
In the Performance Audit of “Working of Fisheries Department” audit observed that the Department prepared a Five Year Plan (2012-17) with cumulative targets to be achieved, however, year-wise targets and matching financial outlays for various components were not included in the Plan. Besides, variations in the original budget estimates and revised budget estimates were noticed indicating unrealistic projections and instances of funds lying unutilised due to delay/ ineffective implementation of the schemes. For development of Inland fisheries, the Department was not able to meet the requirement of fish seeds, the reservoirs/ ponds were under-utilised and there were delays in schemes on fish culture cage. For the purpose of development of Marine fisheries, the implementation of infrastructure projects was affected due to delays in taking up the projects thereby depriving the fishing sector the benefits of better facilities. The delays in transferring the subsidy due to inadequate funds defeated the purpose of providing direct benefit of Diesel VAT subsidy to the fishermen. The Department did not use or amend the provisions of Fisheries Act, 2003 to adopt uniform fishing ban period and fixing the limit for berthing of fishing boats in Fisheries Terminal Divisions. The Department did not conduct any impact evaluation of the schemes.
In the theme based audit of “Regulation of activities in the Protected Areas of Gujarat”, audit observed that no new protected habitat for lions has been approved since 2008 despite increasing number of Asiatic lions. While notifying the ESZ around three PAs, the area of forest land and government wasteland was reduced considerably. The implementation of modern technology for the conservation of Asiatic Lion was very slow. Instances of allowing prohibited activities within the protected areas and not ensuring compliance with conditions subject to which certain projects were permitted within the Protected Areas were observed.
In the theme based audit of “Salinity Ingress Prevention Scheme”, audit observed that the HLC reports accepted during the period 1978 to 1992 were not implemented fully even after a lapse of 25 to 39 years. The implementation has been above 50 per cent only in respect of check dams, tidal regulators/ bandharas and recharge wells. In respect of afforestation, coastal land reclamation, TCD farms and gully and nalla plugging the implementation has been negligible. Out of the four reaches where the works were implemented, the progress was significant in Una-Madhavpur and Maliya-Lakhpat and negligible in Bhavnagar-Una and Madhavpur-Maliya reaches. The cost of SIPS has increased from ₹ 789.12 crore to ₹ 3,590.44 crore (March 2017). Even in the activities that have been implemented, all the envisaged chainages have not been covered mainly due to non-acquisition of land leading to cases of incomplete works, unfruitful expenditure and idling of facility.