Constitute panel to oversee fund utilization: Gauhati High Court tells Dispur

Guwahati Smart City Project

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court (GHC) has directed the Principal Secretary, Finance, Government of Assam to constitute a committee of senior officers and experts, including from the police and finance fields for monitoring the utilization of money by Guwahati Smart City Limited (GSCL) for the Smart City project.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Ajay Lamba and Justice Soumitra Saikia issued the direction on Friday while hearing a PIL filed by Rita Das Mozumdar, a resident of Maligaon Chariali.

The court has directed the constitution of the bid evaluation and project monitoring committee after taking suggestions from D Saikia, learned counsel for the State of Assam.

D Saikia has pointed out that 50 per cent of the funds are given by the Central Government and the remaining 50 per cent by the State government. Saikia has impressed the court that the State government is conscious of the fact that Rs 400 crore is lying with the GSCL, which otherwise could have been utilized by the State for other beneficial purposes. It has been impressed on the court that since no constructive work was being done by the GSCL, letters were repeatedly addressed to the said company to return the amount. The court has been informed that neither the money was returned for utilization in other projects, nor Guwahati has been made a Smart City.

The court made it clear that the constitution of a committee is not for the purpose of creating impediments in the bid process or implementation of the project. The committee must make sure that the processes are not delayed, rather with their assistance are speeded up.

According to an affidavit filed by GSCL Managing Director Prashant Dhanda, on behalf of the organization, the grants for making Guwahati a Smart City amounting to Rs 378 crore was received during the financial year 2016-17. Subsequently Rs 2 crore was received during the financial year 2017-18 and Rs 11.8 crore the following year. Thus, the total amount received during the aforesaid three years comes to Rs 391.80 crore.

"The deponent states that the amount available as on date with the GSCL is Rs 417.89 crore which includes interest amounts of Rs 67.45 crore. From the amount received, a sum of Rs 41.36 crore have been spent for completed and on-going projects and for payments to TATA Consulting Engineers Ltd," stated the court. 

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