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Tuesday, 19.03.2024
eGovernment Forschung seit 2001 | eGovernment Research since 2001

The one-man commission formed by the state government to probe into the selection, allotment and execution of smart city projects during the previous AIADMK rule held a meeting with the city corporation officials here on Thursday.

The DMK government had in March appointed retired IAS officer P W C Davidar to inquire into the implementation of smart city projects across the state.

The commission is probing whether the selection of work was in accordance with the smart city mission guidelines, whether the rules were followed in awarding contracts and the quality of work done, among other things. The commission has to submit a report before the government in June.

A corporation source said Davidar reached the city on Thursday noon after conducting an inquiry in Tirupur for one and half days. “Without wasting any time, he met senior corporation officials in the presence of corporation commissioner Raja Gopal Sunkara. They submitted a report containing details of the work, awarding of tenders, contractors, payments, physical and financial progress of the projects at present, and the remarks made by corporation officials and independent engineers on the quality of projects carried out by contractors to him.”

The report, the source said, was prepared last month. “It was then updated with the latest details.”

When it was the opposition party, the DMK had alleged large-scale corruption and favouritism in awarding and carrying out the smart city projects. RTI (right to information) activists too had red-flagged the award of tenders to certain contractors, by tweaking qualification to take part in tender process.

The suspicion was validated by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), which probed into the smart city and other projects carried out by the city corporations in the state, after the DMK came to power. DVAC also conducted searches in the places related to former municipal administration minister and Coimbatore strongman S P Velumani.

The smart city scheme was proposed at 1,000 crore with 50% funding each from the state and central governments. While the state has contributed 500 crore, the Centre has provided 490 crore so far. Of that, the corporation has spent 719.22 crore till date. Of the 56 projects taken up under the scheme, 32 projects have been completed at a cost of 241.05 crore. Another 478.17 crore was spent on the remaining 14 ongoing projects.

The corporation source said the one-man commission would continue the probe on Friday as well. “He will inspect all the completed projects and the ones in progress.”

He said corporation officials were instructed not to reveal any information related to the probe to the media.

The smart city scheme was proposed in 2015. Coimbatore was one of the first 20 cities shortlisted the next year.

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Quelle/Source: The Times of India, 06.05.2022

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