Question : DELAY IN PROJECTS

(a) the details of the effective measures that have been taken by the Government to pre-empt the delays in the execution of projects during the last few months in the country;

(b) the measures taken by the Government to check such delays including the total number of officers found responsible for the same;

(c) whether the number of projects delayed in September, 2012 is lesser than those delayed during September, 2011; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE), MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THEMINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SHRI SRIKANT KUMAR JENA)

(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the table of the House.

Statement referred to in Reply to part (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 19 for 22.11.2012

(a) : Recently the Government has approved setting up of an Investment Tracking System to ensure speedy implementation ofInfrastructure projects whereby National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council shall track all Public Sector projects with an investment of ? 1000 Crores and above and the Department of Financial Services shall monitor projects with aninvestment of ? 1000 Crores and above in the private sector.  

(b) : Other major steps initiated by the Government during last few years to ensure timely completion of projects includes rigorous project appraisal and two stage approval procedure, prioritization of projects in the light of resources constraints, setting up of an On-line Computerised Monitoring System(OCMS) for better monitoring, higher weightage to project implementation by PSUs in the MOUs signed between them and the administrative Ministries and setting up of Central Sector Project Coordination Committee (CSPCC) in states under respective Chief Secretaries for removal of bottlenecks and impediments in project implementation. A Standing Committee in each Ministry has been setup for fixation of responsibility for time and cost overruns. However, it has been observed that the systematic constraints such as environmental clearances, statutory clearances, land related matters, fund constrains, security clearances, etc. are the major reasons for delay in the projects, for which it is difficult to fix responsibility on any officer(s).

(c) & (d):As on 1st September, 2012, total number of infrastructure projects costing ? 150 Crores and above on the monitor of this Ministry were 560, out of which 272 were delayed. Whereas, during the corresponding period of last year, total number of infrastructure projects on the monitor of this Ministry were 553, out of which 243 were delayed.