97% of funds for Border roads unused

Despite China Fears,Border Work Minimal: CAG


Building roads along the China border have been a stated priority of the UPA government in view of the communist neighbour rapidly developing world class roads and airports on its side of the McMahon line. Such has been the security concern that supplementary grants were sanctioned for additional expenditure in the border areas.Shockingly, to 97% of regular funds remained unspent between 2006 and 2009,and were returned by the home ministry departments at the end of the financial year.

The Comptroller and Auditor Generals review of grants to the home ministry for infrastructure development along the China border reveals that large provisions persistently remained unused during the period 2006-09 and were surrendered,defeating the purpose for which the budget provisions were passed by Parliament.

While lack of environmental clearances for border projects has often been touted as the reason why border roads have not been built in recent years,the report doesnt mention this at all.It,instead,blamed administrative failure in allocating works,non-demarcation of border areas and local protests for the delay.

The CAG report,submitted in Parliament on Friday,says the unspent amount on capital expenditure that includes development of infrastructure along the border and other security-related spending was as high as 58% in 2008-09 while allocation for this purpose had been hiked from Rs 2,000 crore in 2006-07 to Rs 5,300 crore in 2008-09.

In one case,the cabinet committee on security sat on an intelligence project due to which the Rs 2,400-crore plan could not be executed.

The unused money returned by the home ministry was Rs 1,900 crore.

On the China front,the home ministry failed to execute road projects resulting in non-expenditure of 91% of the allocated funds in 2006-07 and 97% each in 2007-08 and 2008-09,according to the CAG report.

There was inaction on the coastal front too.This only improved after 26/11.

On the security projects along Bangladesh border,Rs 46 crore was unutilized as hi-tech surveillance equipment was not procured.

Non-finalization of proposals for flood lighting and fencing work along the Pak border resulted in unspent funds of Rs 25 crore.

97% बोर्डर भंडार का इस्तमाल नहीं हुआ!

चीन ने बोर्डर के अपने क्षेत्रों में विश्व स्थारिया रास्ते बना लिए हैं और इसको देखते सर्कार ने भी निर्णय लिया था के हम भी अच्छे रास्ते बनायेंगे। पर पढ़िए के क्या हुआ (या नहीं हुआ!)

• २००६-२००९ तक औसतन ९७% पूँजी का उपयोग नहीं हुआ, और वापस चला गया।
• एक केस में तो कैबिनेट एक इन्तेल्लिगेंस प्रोजेक्ट पर बैठ गयी जो २४०० करोड़ का प्लान था। कुछ नहीं हुआ।
• तटीय इलाकों में भी कहानी ऐसी ही थी। सुधराव २६/११ के बाद आया।
• बंगलादेश बोर्डर पर ४६ करोड़ का हाई टेक प्रोजेक्ट नहीं हो सका। पूँजी इस्तमाल नहीं हुई.
• पाकिस्तान सीमा पर फ्लड लाइट लगाने के लिए २५ करोड़ दिए गए थे। उनका भी इस्तमाल नहीं हुआ।