BHUBANESWAR: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Assembly has recommended that all clearances for different projects should be processed concurrently to check inordinate delays in their completion. The issue was discussed at the PAC meeting presided over by Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh here on Monday. At present getting all the clearances from different agencies takes about 10 to 12 years delaying the entire process. Under the present system, the first step is to apply for forest clearance for a project. After getting the clearance, the process starts for environmental nod and then comes the wildlife clearance. The PAC has suggested that the process for all the clearances should start simultaneously to cut down on the time span, Opposition chief whip Prasad Harichandan said. Even though the State Government is open to the suggestion, getting it implemented involves the Centre which gives all these clearances, he pointed out. Delay in implementation of projects in different sectors leads to cost overruns. There are projects in the irrigation sectors which are going on for the last four to five plan periods, Harichandan said and added that Suktel, Lower Indra and several other projects are languishing for decades. Constructions of important roads are also not completed within the span of a plan period. The PAC had sent a questionnaire to different departments with 10 questions on the issue. The state government had constituted a committee headed by chief secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik to reply to the Assembly panel. Besides, another committee headed by the secretary in the works department was constituted to suggest changes in the Orissa Public Works Department (OPWD) codes. Harichandan said the PAC has also asked the State Government to simplify the existing land acquisition process which is highly cumbersome and time taking. He said that a land acquisition bill has already been placed in the Lok Sabha to replace the archaic 1894 act. The Government has agreed to expedite completion of survey of different projects by filling up the vacancies in the revenue department by appointing retired revenue department officials on contract basis. Besides, digitisation of land maps of eight districts will also be completed by June 15. Several changes have been brought in the tender process to make it more transparent and performance based. It has been decided that bids quoting 20 percent less than the cost of the project will be rejected. Similarly, a performance guarantee security will be kept bidders quoting 10 to 20 percent less than project cost. The Government has also agreed to bring several changes in the OPWD codes.
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