No funds for city projects, ' 6L paid to consultants

TNN, Sep 27, 2010; PANAJI:

With only a year left, before Panaji's opportunity to avail funds from the Centre through the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) concludes, it has now been revealed that the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) has spent almost ' 67 lakh on project consultants, and not been able to garner a single rupee for the capital city's development.

The expenditure on appointing consultants for JNNURM projects was highlighted by opposition corporator Surendra Furtado, who sought the details by availing the Right to Information Act, 2005.

According to the CCP's reply to the RTI queries, it has spent a total of ' 67,08,260 for the preparation of six Detailed Project Reports (DPRs).

Bangalore-based Groupe SCE India Pvt Ltd have been appointed as consultants for four DPRs - Basic Services to Urban Poor, Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) in consonance with the objectives of the National Urban Transport Policy and the JNNURM reform agenda, Urban Renewal including development of parks, gardens and open spaces for the city of Panaji as per guidelines and requirements of JNNURM, and Sector Heritage Conservation for the city of Panaji as per guidelines and requirements of JNNURM.

The DPR for water body preservation and hill slope protection has been prepared by Water and Power Consultancy Services, while the DPR for e-governance has been prepared by Upasani, Jain and Kshirsagar and G S Mathur and Co.

"The CCP has missed the bus. Over ' 400 crore worth of funds could not be obtained by it since the last four years. It is time that like-minded people with the interests of the city of Panaji at heart, come together and stand for elections," Furtado said.