Concern at tardy road
building on northern border, while China races on
By Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 21st Aug 17
With the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) far
behind schedule in constructing 73 approved “Indo-China Border Roads” along the
northern borders, the defence ministry on Sunday empowered BRO officials with
enhanced financial powers.
The Chief Engineers, key officials who head
BRO projects spread across the border states – with project names like Himank
(Ladakh), Vartak (Arunachal Pradesh) and Beacon (Kashmir) – will now enjoy enhanced
financial powers that are 5-10 times more than their earlier financial limits.
The defence ministry states this will “avoid delays on account of
references between the Chief Engineer and HQ DGBR (Headquarters, Director
General Border Roads) and also between HQ DGBR and the Ministry.”
BRO’s road
building has lagged, while China has constructed a wide-spread network of roads
that allow their troops to reach the border quickly on vehicles. In contrast,
Indian foot patrols must march long distances to reach the same areas.
With only
27 roads completed of the 73 “strategic roads” approved for the Sino-Indian border,
the defence minister assured Parliament on July 28 that the balance roads would
be completed by December 2022.
The earlier
financial powers permitted a Chief Engineer to approval “departmental works” up
to Rs 10 crore, and the ADGBR (Assistant Director General Border Roads) up to
Rs 20 crore. All “contractual works” had to be referred to the DGBR, who could
sanction expenditure only up to Rs 50 crore.
Enhancing financial
powers at all levels, the defence ministry “has now approved that for both departmental
and contractual mode of execution, a Chief Engineer of BRO can accord
administrative approval up to Rs 50 crore, ADGBR upto Rs 75 crore and DGBR up
to Rs 100 crore.
For regular
contracting, a Chief Engineer’s powers have been enhanced tenfold from Rs 10
crore to Rs 100 crore; the ADGBR’s powers fifteen-fold from Rs 20 crore to Rs
300 crore; and the DGBR’s powers for contracts above Rs 300 crore.
Decentralised financial powers for Border Roads
(all figures in Rupees)
Chief Engineer
|
ADG Border Roads
|
DG Border Roads
| ||||
Earlier
|
Now
|
Earlier
|
Now
|
Earlier
|
Now
| |
Administrative approval of works
|
10 crore*
|
50 crore^
|
20 crore*
|
75 crore^
|
50 crore^
|
100 crore^
|
Execution of contracts
|
10 crore
|
100 crore
|
20 crore
|
300 crore
|
Above 20 crore
|
Above 300 crore
|
Outsourcing of consultancy
|
10 lakhs
|
2 crore
|
50 lakhs
|
5 crore
|
2 crore
|
Above 5 crore
|
Procurement of indigenous construction equipment
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
7.5 crore
|
100 crore
|
Procurement of imported construction equipment
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3 crore
|
100 crore
|
* Only for Departmental Works
^ For Departmental and Contractual Works
“With this
delegation, the entire tendering process including acceptance of bids would be
completed at the level of Chief Engineer/ADGBR for a majority of the
contracts”, stated the defence ministry.
In a useful
departure from the earlier policy, the DGBR has been granted full powers to
determine the usage norms and life span of construction equipment, which was
hitherto done by the defence ministry. For example, if the DGBR assesses that a
bulldozer operating at 16,000 feet altitude in the Daulat Beg Oldi sector would
have a reduced life span compared to one operating at 11,000 feet near Leh, he is
now empowered to introduce the new norm.
In 2015, the BRO was transferred from the
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to the defence ministry to improve
functioning. On May 6, 2013, the defence minister told parliament that the
Cabinet had approved raising the BRO’s manpower strength to 42,646 personnel.
Despite attempts at reform, the BRO remains
a divided organisation, with friction between BRO cadre officers, and army
officers posted on deputation. The BRO cadre resents a large number of top executive
and command positions going to the army.
Both Border Roads Organization and the Indian Army are vital to the defense of our motherland. I entreat both to resolve all differences and urgently complete the roads vital to our national defence.
ReplyDeleteLooks like having a common finance and defence minister is paying off. In the current scenario veteran 3 star officer probably have to cajole some joint secretary . That needs to change. We need to have a system with political appointee (defence minister) and rest of MoD essentially unformed staff. This will ensure discipline with frequent rotation of staff. Once you have uniformed guy who rotates between Kashimr-Delhi-Assam, the system will tidy up.
ReplyDeleteThe "civilian" defence staff in MoD must be done away with. All "civilian" employees of MoD including defence seceratary need to be members of territorial Army
. Maybe this needs to be made compulsory for all UPSC cadre officers.
The armed forces must allow organisations like BRO and coast guard to grow. Only then will pride in one's job & organization be allowed to develop. Even if there army officers on deputation to BRO they need to report BRO officers.
This is called 'digging a well, after a fire breaks out'. That too, a small borewell to put out a massive fire.
ReplyDeleteMore money to be made.
ReplyDeleteLike the rest of the Indian Government organisations , the BDO is useless and unable even to fulfill 50% of its targets.
ReplyDeleteThese organisations related to the defence of India, including its armed forces cannot be separated from Indias prevailing inefficient and corrupt system.
India is many years behind China, it should avoid conflict till the time it becomes a world class economy.
Forty children dead due to lack of oxygen, vast swathes of India with a standard of living, infant morality etc...below sub Sahara Africa.
A communal undemocratic culture in which the inequality of women is just one manifestation. A wounded civilisation with 40% open defecating and 40 % without a regular or no electricity supply.