Flurry of project approvals

Some of the projects were approved and contracts awarded to parties overriding observations made by the Purchase Review Committee. Certain contracts were even awarded to comparatively higher bidder over the lowest, resulting in additional costs to the national exchequer.

The media in the recent past had raised the issue of alleged flaws in some of these projects including violation of procurement policies. It is evident now that the administration knew of the existence of the alleged weaknesses and irregularities and yet chose to ignore the same.

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One does not have to be an expert to understand that contracts approved by ministries and departments wrongfully are bound to have long-term consequences for the nation's socio-economic development.

In the meantime, we remain highly concerned about the possible motive behind approving these projects, evidently in a hurry, with the present regime's tenure, for all practical purposes, coming to an end to be handing over power to a caretaker government on October 28, leading to general election.

If one were to say that the move has been taken in view of the forthcoming national election to benefit some party cronies would one be too wrong? We cannot remember such haste in approving projects at this time of last year. We most sincerely hope that the ruling coalition would refrain from indulging in any act for the remainder of its tenure which can be even remotely be linked to partisan election motives.