Haryana state government has changed policy not to spend more than 10% amount over developmental projects finalized by the government since projects of value worth crores of rupees are hanging incomplete in the state due to delayed construction work by Public Works Department (PWD) in the state for one reason or the other as such cost of production most of such projects increased too much and according to a study by State Vigilance Bureau this is usually due to government officers working in these projects found involved i9n corruption. Investigation by State Vigilance Bureau (SVB) revealed that huge amount of payments were released by the concerned department officers without work done by the contractors or receipt of material from suppliers on the basis of fake bills as such only in Ambala district construction work in more than half dozen important projects have come to halt in the absence of funds sanctioned for these projects since a major amount alleged spent over these projects went into the pockets of contractors raised fake bills and officers as well staff working in the departments and work in large number of such projects have stopped giving rise to conflicts.
Information reveals that in most of the cases the cost of projects hanging in between have to be revised by the government officers in the department for completion of such incomplete projects misusing their powers even increased up to 170% in few cases showing additional work done in these projects. According to new policy by the state government in case the cost of tender exceeds 10% the department will have to re-tender for additional work in favour of some other contractor to avoid corruption. Talking to media persons Abhijit Kapoor Director General SVB told that more than 150 corrupt officers and employees working in government offices including working in the rank of HCS and Chief Engineer working in the state caused inconvenience to government as well as public deprived of to avail benefits of large number of important projects were found involved in corrupt practices during investigation by SVB in nearly 143 cases, arrested and sent behind bars.
Abhijit Kapoor told that Chief Ministe has given free hand to SVB for the arrest of corrupts in government offices made situation bad to worst in past few years as such the department has released two toll free numbers 1800-180-2022 and 1064 and a Watts App number 094178-91064 for lodging complaints against corruption. Information reveals, state government has started investigation in all past tender cases where the cost of the project exceeded more than 10% in the state in which PWD Ambala leads which include project of construction of international level Football Stadium at Ambala Cantt in which initial approved cost of construction of project increased from Rs 40 to 115 crore and during investigation by SVB large number of embezzlements were found in this project in which few senior officers were also suspended
Kapoor told that SVB also investigated several other cases in which large number of embezzlements were observed which include construction of Mini Secretariat at Ambala City, construction of Homeopathy College at Chandpur near Ambala Cantt, construction of residential flats for civil hospital doctors and para=medical staff, construction of 100-Beds ward in civil hospital Ambala Cantt, construction of Government College for Women at Ambala City, Construction of Polytechnic Institute at Lakhnaura Sahib near Ambala City, construction of several roads in Kurukshetra district and construction of ITI at Shahabad and there is a long list of projects in which work has been either stopped or much delayed.
