Transparency in Nirmiti Kendras recommended

Upa Lokayukta has recommended provisions of Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act in all the works by Nirmiti Kendra across the State.

Upa Lokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi recommended this after holding an inquiry into irregularities in planting of saplings in Bengaluru City limits through Nirmiti Kendra. The plantations carried out by Nirmiti Kendra was lacking accountability and transparency and there was additional burden of approximately Rs 5 crore.

The matter had come up before the Upa Lokayukta in the form of a complaint about irregularities in plantation of seedlings by Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) between 2009-10 and 2013-14. The BDA submitted that from 2009 to 2013, more than 26 lakh seedlings were planted. It stated that around 70,100 seedlings were planted during 2009-10 through piece work contract by spending Rs 171.40 per plant. During 2010-11, nearly 2.20 lakh seedlings were planted through tender process at Rs 126.90 per plant. The entire 15.59 lakh saplings for the year 2011-12 was entrusted to Nirmiti Kendra.

“Similar plantation works also were executed through tender by Social Forestry, Bengaluru Rural district. Thus, BDA has claimed to have planted 26.45 lakh seedling s by spending about Rs 39.15 crore. Majority of the plantation was done by Nirmiti Kendra. The project manager of Nirmiti Kendra stated that Nirmiti by itself does not execute any work.

Instead, it gets works executed through sub-contractors or through other agencies. Since there was difference of cost incurred by Nirmiti Kendra, an inquiry was conducted,” Justice Adi said.

As per the records and the report, the cost incurred for the plantation of seedlings by Social Forestry during the year 2011-12 was Rs 114 per plant. However, for the same year, BDA has paid Rs 151.30 per plant to Nirmiti Kendra. The difference per plant was Rs 37.30.

“Nirmiti Kendra executes work based on demand from various departments, approved by governing body headed by Deputy Commissioner of respective district as chairman. Though about nine persons constitute the governing body, it is the project manager who chooses the sub-contractor   for the project. In this particular case also project manager has chosen one out of three suppliers which turned out to be in excess of the cost incurred by two other government departments,” Justice Adi said.

The procedure followed by Nirmiti Kendras does not inform all service providers and suppliers in the market. Because of this procedure, competitive rates or selection based on competitive rates will not be there.

“Object of Transparency Act is to have accountability in the matter of spending public money. When it is found that there is substantial difference in the case of plantation for just one year, what could be the difference in other works Nirmiti executes through contractors. Nirmiti Kendra, as a State agency, must set as an example of transparency,” Justice Adi said. The Upa Lokayukta has noticed DC Bengaluru Urban BBMP commissioner and DFO Social Forestry to appear with records on March 18.