GUWAHATI: The Performance Audit (PA) carried out by Comptroller and Auditor (CAG) General of India on "Functioning of GMDA" revealed that except for executing some development activities under the State’s Own Priority Development Schemes, GMDA was not functioning as per the spirit of the provisions/bye-laws of Audit Report on Social, Economic and General Sectors for the year ended 31 March 2022 xii the GMDA Act, 1985.
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The Government engaged GMDA in functions like water supply, building permission, provision of urban amenities and facilities such as parks, gardens, playgrounds, street lighting, parking lots and public conveniences which were entrusted to the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) as per the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act.
“GMDA was manned with very few technical staff and all senior posts were either filled by contractual staff or on deputation from other departments. Apart from inadequate human resources to handle major projects, GMDA also lacked commitment in complying with the important decisions taken in the Authority’s meetings,” said the CAG report.
Although GMDA had prepared the Master Plan, it has not monitored the achievement of targets set in the Plan. The accounts of GMDA pertaining to the years from 2014-15 to 2019-20 were submitted for audit to the Principal Accountant General (Audit) only in July 2021 due to delayed approval of accounts by the Authority.
An amount of ₹ 27.90 crore released as advances for different purposes from the National Games Village (NGV) Phase-1 account remained outstanding without any adjustment even after finalisation of accounts in 2014-15. Due to lack of monitoring by the Project Management Consultant (PMC) in respect of South Guwahati (West) Water Supply Project (SGWSP), 13,776.40 meters of pipes not laid by the contractor remained undetected resulting in overpayment of ₹ 6.98 crore.
“Instead of engaging the consultant selected after observing procurement formalities, another firm was irregularly engaged (November 2021) as consultant by GMDA on nomination basis for managing the SGWSP. An amount of ₹ 6.20 crore expended on construction of Central Library Archive-Cum-Auditorium at Amingaon remained idle for a period of over four years due to lackadaisical approach of the Executive Agency GMDA and PWD (Building), Assam. Expenditure of ₹ 6.38 on the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Guwahati Metro Rail Project was rendered unfruitful as it was rejected by the centre for non-compliance to the guidelines for setting up Metro Rail,” said the report.
The report highlighted that the capacity of GMDA was not adequate to handle major projects as it was manned with very few technical staff. It was seen that barring few development works allotted under State’s Own Priority Development (SOPD) schemes, the GMDA had either failed to complete all major projects or it was completed after huge delays and incurring additional expenditure due to cost escalations.
