2 months ago
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The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has recovered that respective projected tourism infrastructure projects successful Andhra Pradesh nether the Sagarmala Programme could not materialise as the earlier and the successive State governments did not merchandise its matching stock of funds, resulting successful stalled works and unutilised Central assistance.
The Government of India, successful August 2016, introduced fiscal enactment covering 50% of task costs — up to ₹10 crore — for constructing each jetty and related infrastructure to beforehand rider and cargo movement.
In response, the past State authorities projected 9 jetty projects and submitted a elaborate task study (DPR) successful December 2016, committing to carnivore its 50% stock amounting to ₹245.76 crore retired of the full ₹491.52 crore.
However, advancement remained limited. Only 1 task — the operation of a jetty astatine Bhavani Island — received approval, with the Centre sanctioning ₹10 crore and releasing ₹5 crore as the archetypal instalment successful June 2017. The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) subsequently revised the task scope and awarded the enactment successful November 2017.
The project, however, was halted successful December 2019 aft executing works worthy ₹4.79 crore. The CAG noted that contempt repeated requests, the past State authorities did not merchandise its stock of ₹5 crore as of March 2023, preventing APTDC from accessing the remaining Central funds.
Consequently, the expenditure incurred remained unfruitful, portion a equilibrium magnitude besides remained idle for respective years. The audit further revealed that of the remaining 8 projects, revised DPRs were submitted for lone 3 projects.
Although the Centre approved these and sanctioned ₹10 crore each, funds were not released owed to missing of State’s constribution. No decisions were taken connected the remaining 5 proposals, efficaciously derailing tourism improvement plans crossed aggregate locations.
The State authorities attributed the delays to revised outgo estimates ranging betwixt ₹70 crore and ₹75 crore per project, citing fiscal constraints. However, the CAG rejected this explanation, stating that approvals were based connected archetypal estimates and that timely release of State funds could person ensured task completion.
