CAG: Most of newly constructed police stations are not as per specifications

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has revealed that most of the newly constructed police stations under the MOITRI scheme are not as per their specifications.

The Assam Government's Mission of Overall Improvement of Thana for Responsive Image (MOITRI) scheme was introduced in July 2016 with the stated objective of developing physical infrastructure in 345 police stations in the state over a period of five years (2017-2022) and making them more citizen-friendly.

However, at the end of the implementation stage, a physical verification conducted by CAG at sample police stations revealed deficiencies in the provision of different amenities envisaged in the drawings and plans. The drawings of civil works showed that police station buildings should include facilities like reception rooms, a wireless and communication room, a record room, barracks, an interrogation room, an armoury room, separate rest rooms for men and women, separate toilets for women, a hygienic lock-up, a canteen with a kitchen, etc.

The audit team entrusted with the task of verification visited 31 police stations, comprising 23 completed and 8 ongoing buildings, out of 119 police stations being constructed under the scheme. However, the team found that living accommodations, including barracks with toilets, were not available in 21 of the 31 police stations. It was also found that no canteen with a kitchen existed in any of the 31 police stations. Moreover, there were no record rooms available in 21 out of the 31 police stations visited by the team. There was no armoury room in two police stations, Khetri and Garchuk.

It was, thus, apparent that the objective of the scheme was defeated as 48 of the 119 police stations taken up for implementation of the scheme during the first and second phases remained incomplete as of June 2022, even as 226 police stations still remained in the planning stage. Moreover, out of the 155 other works, including 100 barracks and 55 other infrastructure projects planned under the scheme, only 16-comprising one barrack and 15 others-were completed until June 2022. Of the remaining 139 works, 85 (45 barracks and 40 other projects) were in progress as of June 2022, while work on the remaining 54 barracks could not be started at all.

It was another matter of concern that instances of irregularities in the award of work without following the due tender process and the award of multiple works without proper assessment of the credentials or working capacity of contractors were detected. It was also noticed that there was no collection of performance security and retention money to safeguard against future defect liability, etc., reflecting poor contract management by executing agencies.

There was also a deficiency in the budgetary control mechanism as the Assam government released scheme funds to MOITRI societies without correct utilization certificates or without assessing the actual requirement of funds.

The MOITRI scheme is very ambitious in the context that the police stations are being envisaged as people-friendly, with modern buildings having facilities like visitors rooms with drinking water and separate toilet facilities. The police stations are also to have renewable energy sources, a rainwater harvesting internet connection, etc. It remains to be seen how far the scheme can be made successful.

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