Aurangabad, Feb 28:
The Zilla Parishad (ZP) has funds of Rs 8.50 crore available for road works in rural areas under the district road development (5054) scheme. Two 2 ministers, 5 MLAs, 2 MPs have demanded funds of Rs 90 crore for the repair of roads and other new works in their constituency. This has puzzled the officials of the works department of ZP as to which work should be given priority in the available funds.
The heavy rains damaged 354 roads in nine tehsils, 897.13 km of roads and 355 culvert bridges. The estimated cost for road repairs is Rs 95.05 crore and for bridges is Rs 30.08 crore. The construction of 61 new bridges is required at a cost of Rs 2.95 crore and the reconstruction of 770 bridges will cost Rs 128.59 crore. The proposal was sent to the state government, but there is a lack of funds. This year, a fund of Rs 8.50 crore has been sanctioned in the 5054 scheme. It was clarified that if all the proposals demanded by the public representatives are given to the district planning officers, then the same list of works to be done from the approved outlay should only be sanctioned. Therefore, the issue will be resolved on Monday and we will submit the plan said the executive engineer, works department, Z A Qazi.
Confusion on fund expenditure
The ZP is still making the estimates of work to be done before the financial year ends. The possibility of approval, budget, tender and start of actual work within a month seems to be thin due to coronavirus. Hence there is a question mark over funding before the end of March remains.