Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Sep 4: The state government has stopped works worth Rs 1,281 crore undertaken by the public works department (PWD) during the previous regime in a haste without necessary sanctions and clearances. These works had been initiated without obtaining clearance from finance department. For some of the works, even work orders had not been issued. The government has asked works that have not yet begun to be stopped for the time being.

Allotment of excessive works to Mandya and Hassan districts during the period H D Revanna was the PWD minister had given rise to controversy. The fact that the Yediyurappa-led government has ordered stay on the works appears like political one-upmanship.

B S Yediyurappa (left) and H D Revanna

Without the clearance of the finance department, for some works, tender processes had been set into motion and work orders had been issued. The finance department has now raised objection for the works worth Rs 1,281.2 crore and blocked them. The previous government had included new works at the fag end of the last quarter of the year 2018-19 with the condition that they would be included in appendix - E of the new year. They had been sent to finance department for approval but the department has refused to clear the proposals and has now directed not to undertake works mentioned under appendix - E.

The directive issued in this respect says that if any of the works are of high priority, they can be taken up on the basis of urgent need, and not too undertake other works which are not urgent and which have not yet been undertaken. Similar instructions have also been given to works undertaken by other departments.

The government is in urgent need or Rs 10,000 crore to reconstruct and repair roads, bridges, and government buildings etc which were damaged due to floods in 22 districts of Karnataka. As pooling resources of such magnitude has been found difficult currently, the government has resorted to stay works which are not urgent. It has also urged the central government to extend financial help.