Over 94% of money meant for welfare of labourers lying unused: CAG report

Zeroing in on 54 cases where death benefits (Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh) were disbursed, the report said, “It was found that the workers were issued identity cards even before they had applied for registration. Out of these, in seven cases in which payments of Rs 6.60 lakh were made, the date of application for registration was after the date of death of the construction worker, although the application bore the signature of the deceased worker and also contained the certificate of employment issued by the construction workers union.”

These issues, the report said, indicated the “possibility of ineligible claimants availing benefits under the scheme”.

“During the years 2002-19, the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board received Rs 3,273.64 crore as cess, interest on cess collected and registration fee out of which it spent only Rs 182.88 crore (5.59 per cent) on welfare of construction workers and the cess and fee collected along with interest had accumulated to Rs 2,709.46 crore as of March 2019,” said the report.

The report also flagged “serious deficiencies” in the operation and maintenance of Bawana and Narela Industrial areas. The report says that two private concessionaires were appointed to maintain the areas.

“The concessionaires were given undue financial benefit by allowing escalation of monthly maintenance charges without obtaining the details of expenditure incurred by them on operation and maintenance activities,” the report said.

The report also pulled up the Delhi government for the “absence of a strategic plan” to provide water and sewer facilities in unauthorised colonies. The report on social, general and economic sectors for the year ending March 2018 says that only 353 and 126 unauthorised colonies were provided piped water supply and sewerage facilities respectively during this period.

“Thus, as of March 2018, out of a total 1,797 unauthorised colonies, piped water supply and sewerage facilities were available in 1,230 (68.4 per cent) and 224 unauthorised colonies (12.5 per cent) respectively,” it said.

The report also said that grants-in-aid received for development of capital assets were irregularly diverted and utilised for other purposes, without the approval of the Urban Development Department.

There were deficiencies in preparation and approval of estimates, delay in award and execution of works, selection of ineligible bidders and extension of undue benefit to contractors, the auditor noted.