(a) whether C&AG in its Report No. 3 of 2002 (Civil) in para 17.5 on page 128 has
stated that 20777 works were executed under ARWSP during 1997-01 at a total
cost of Rs.644.71 crore without obtaining the approval and technical sanction of
the competent authority;
(b) if so, the details and the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the matter has been enquired into;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the action taken for incurring the expenditure on unapproved works?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI ANNASAHEB M.K. PATIL)
Chapter III of the Report No. 3 of CAG for the year 2002 (for the year ended
March, 2001) has reviewed the implementation of Accelerated Rural Water Supply
Programme during the period from 1997-98 to 2000 - 2001 and has made various
observations including those mentioned in this question. Para 17.5 of the report has
inter-alia observed that during 1997-2001, implementing agencies executed 20,777
works, at a total cost of Rs644.71 crore without obtaining the approval and technical
sanction of the competent authority in Assam (Rs.120 crore), Haryana(Rs.38.21 crores),
Himachal Pradesh(Rs.51.60 crore), Jammu & Kashmir (Rs.0.31 crore), Karnataka
(Rs.1.80 crore), Maharashtra(Rs 0.98 crore), Meghalaya (Rs 0.84 crore), Orissa (Rs37.90
crore), Punjab (Rs7.71 crore), Rajasthan (Rs5.45 crore), Tamil Nadu (Rs 379.45 crore)
and Uttar Pradesh (Rs0.46 crore). The report further states that the entire expenditure had
not been regularised as of March 2001.
Drinking water supply being a State subject, schemes for providing drinking
water facilities are implemented by the States from their own resources. The Government
of India supplements the efforts of the States by providing financial assistance under the
Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP). The powers to plan, sanction
and implement Rural Water Supply schemes under the above programmes rests with the
State Governments.
Most of the observations contained in the CAG Report are State specific and
therefore, action thereon is to be taken by the respective State Governments. Government
of India has already requested the State Governments to take remedial action.