Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Public Accounts Committee of the Vidhan Sabha has come across a case in which a government hospital was built in 20 years.
A hospital, approved for the Jobat area in Jhabua district in 1996, was to be built at a cost of Rs 19 lakh in 1997. Tender was also floated for the hospital, but it was not constructed.
After 13 years of the approval, a fresh proposal was passed for constructing the hospital in 2009 when the cost of the proposed hospital was Rs 52.82 lakh. Tender was floated again.
As tenders were floated several times, it took six years to complete the work. The hospital, which was to be ready by 1997, was completed in 2015. The construction cost increased by Rs 34 lakh because of the delay in work. The PAC has expressed unhappiness for the delay.
In their recommendations, the PAC wrote that the project was for a tribal area. The Central Government gave funds for it, but it took 20 years to finish the work, and such a delay deprived the tribal people of medical facilities. The committee recommended action against those who were responsible for the delay. They also advised the government to ensure that such things do not recur.
Department’s mal functioning comes to light due to delay
After the construction of hospital got approval in 1996, the revenue department made the land available outside the city, but it was opposed. So, the land was arranged for the hospital in the city in 1999.
Afterwards, work order was issued. The working drawing and the structure drawing were prepared in 13 months. The funds approved for the project was allotted in 2002, and the contractor was given Rs 7, 00, 000.
Despite this, since the work was not started, the contract was cancelled in 2006 after several reminders. For the tender was floated for the eighth time and that, too, on the old rates, several contractors refused to work.
Tender floated for the ninth time was accepted on 324% more rates on the schedule of rates (SoR), and the work began in 2013, but as it moved at a snail’s pace, the project was completed in 2015.
