Damage and loss assessment reports were not prepared for 82 out of 213 sub-projects before their commencement under the World Bank-aided Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP), according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. The JTFRP was initiated to support the recovery process in areas affected by the devastating 2014 floods.
According to details received by The Chenab Times, the CAG’s compliance audit report for the period ending March 2023 highlighted significant shortcomings in the functioning of the Jammu and Kashmir Planning, Development and Monitoring Department concerning the restoration of essential services and strengthening disaster risk management systems under the JTFRP.
The audit report, which was among seven tabled in the Legislative Assembly, specifically examined the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department’s role in the restoration of essential services. The CAG observed delays in tendering processes and issues related to the engagement of experts, which consequently led to project completion delays. Furthermore, the report noted instances where infrastructure projects not proposed by line departments were sanctioned, while some departmental proposals were excluded.
The JTFRP, primarily funded by the World Bank, aimed to enhance infrastructure for disaster resilience and improve the capacity of Project Implementing Units (PIUs) to respond effectively during crises. Out of a total of 213 sub-projects under the JTFRP, 174 had been completed by December 2023. A detailed audit was conducted on 82 selected sub-projects.
The CAG report pointed out that damage and loss assessment reports were not prepared for these selected projects prior to their initiation. Activities crucial for disaster risk management, such as the retrofitting of critical buildings and the implementation of a Hydro Meteorological Action Plan, which were identified in the Project Appraisal Document (PAD), had not been executed.
Another critical issue highlighted by the CAG report pertains to the execution of hospital projects in flood-prone areas, a practice explicitly prohibited by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). In total, records from the Project Management Unit (PMU) indicated that 11 out of 213 sub-projects, with a sanctioned cost of Rs 307.82 crore, were located in flood-prone zones. These included two hospital buildings and nine other projects. The hospital projects mentioned are a 120-bed specialized orthopaedic unit with a 6-bed ICU at the Bone and Joint Hospital, Barzulla, Srinagar, sanctioned at Rs 107.50 crore, and an Extension Block at Lalla Ded Hospital, Srinagar, for infertility, gynaecology, and oncology wards, sanctioned at Rs 132.55 crore.
The CAG report also flagged irregular and idle expenditure on the upgradation of dewatering stations by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC). Deficiencies were noted in the procurement and installation of machinery and equipment, including excess payments for rescue equipment and avoidable expenditure on fire and emergency machinery and modular monitors. Idle investment was also observed in the purchase of search and rescue kits and hospital machinery automated embedding systems.
Further shortcomings included inadequate project monitoring, which did not adhere to World Bank guidelines. Periodic meetings of the Project Steering Committee were not held regularly, and an operational manual for the execution of JTFRP projects was not prepared. The CAG has recommended that the Jammu and Kashmir government ensure projects are undertaken as per the Project Appraisal Document and after obtaining approval from the Project Steering Committee. The directive also includes ensuring timely completion of projects, updating the Management Information System, and strictly monitoring the implementation of sub-projects.
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