A meeting of the PAC on Thursday formed the five-member subcommittee under the coordination of CPN-UML Lawmaker Ravindra Adhikari to see if there are any irregularities in the government´s top-priority project and submit a report to the full committee. [break]
Pralhad Lamichhane and Ganga Parajuli of UCPN (Maoist), Usha Gurung of Nepali Congress (NC) and Sarbadev Ojha of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Democratic (MPRF-D) are members of the probe panel.
The subcommittee was formed after PAC members raised serious questions as to why NA, which is tasked with track opening for the 76-km expressway, couldn´t accomplish the work within deadline. The members also accused NA of carrying out the work in a non-transparent fashion and submitting unreasonable expense details.
Former finance minister Surendra Pandey said at the meeting that work on the project has been too slow and a convincing answer has not been given so far. "In the budget speech every fiscal year, a commitment is made to finish the project within the year but it is never explained why it has not been completed so far," Pandey said.
He demanded that the NA make clear the average per kilometer cost for clearing the track in the rocky sections and in the normal stretches? "NA´s costs should be cheaper compared to the costing offered by a private sector company. So, make clear if NA´s work is cheaper in practice," he said.
Lawmakers argued that the project undertaken by the army should be cheaper because VAT provisions don´t apply, the army doesn´t need to make any profit and it deploys personnel who are already paid by the state. Coordinator Adhikari said particulars furnished by NA showed earth cutting costs of over Rs. 150 per square meter whereas it shouldn´t exceed Rs. 53.05 as per the government rate.
Lalbabu Pundit demanded that the ministry provide comparative details showing how the army´s work is cheaper compared to the same work undertaken by a private firm.
Lawmakers also raised serious questions over NA offering subcontracts to local contractors, in breach of the legal provisions. They said the army should not act as a principal contractor offering petty contracts to subcontractors.
"Which legal provision has NA followed in offering subcontracts to local contractors," asked Prem Bahadur Singh.
Pralhad Lamichhane, UCPN (Maoist) lawmaker from Makwanpur district where a major section of the road lies, said local contractors are found frequenting the generals to bag petty contracts.
Adhikari said the government entrusted NA with opening up the track and parliament has okayed the decision but the army must not act as a contractor. "The army can seek support from locals but can´t distribute subcontracts," he said.
Tulasi Prasad Sitaula, secretary at the ministry, informed the meeting that the project was delayed mainly because of obstruction by locals over compensation for land acquisition. "We have now settled the matter and the work is going smoothly except for some sections," he said.
Major General Naresh Basnet tried to allay lawmakers´ concerns, saying there was some misunderstanding because NA was seeking support from locals to expedite the work. He said they sought support from experts at the forest ministry and sometimes it seemed there was duplication of work.
"We can´t complete the work smoothly without support from locals and local contractors, even if we deploy the full strength of the army," he argued.
The fast-track expressway connecting Kathmandu to the Tarai is one of the government´s projects of national pride. It was inaugurated in 2009 under the government led by Madhav Kumar Nepal.
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