SHILLONG, Sep 18: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has detected an idle expenditure of Rs 22.24 crore in the creation of the Integrated Farmers’ Market Complex at Ampati, South West Garo Hills under the Special Plan Assistance (SPA) due to the failure of the director of Horticulture and Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) in making the market functional even after 47 months of its completion.
The CAG noted that under the SPA 2010-11, the Planning Commission approved the construction of the Ampati market complex at a total project cost of Rs 18 crore on a fund-sharing basis of 90:10 between the Centre and the state.
The market complex was conceived because Ampati, located within 5 km of the Indo-Bangladesh border, is a centre of trade and commerce in the western part of Meghalaya. The Ampati weekly market (haat/bazaar) is the biggest in the region, attracting traders from all over the Northeast and North Bengal. About 20,000 people gather on market days.
According to the report, the director of horticulture entrusted the execution of the work to the Meghalaya Government Construction Corporation Ltd (MGCCL). Following the tendering process, MGCCL awarded the work to the Guwahati-based Srinath Builders & Housing Co (P) Ltd, at Rs 16.41 crore (13.5% above the tender value) for civil work and Rs 97 lakh (30% above the tender value) for electrical works to be completed within 24 months.
As the site where the market was proposed to be constructed belonged to the GHADC, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the council and the state government.
The report stated that during the construction, the plan and designs were altered based on the chief minister’s instructions (July 2014 and September 2015). The estimate was accordingly revised to Rs 22.24 crore and was accorded administrative approval in March 2017.
The work was completed (389 stalls excluding covered sheds and toilets) on January 10, 2018, at a total expenditure of Rs 19.94 crore (civil works Rs 18.60 crore and electrical work Rs 1.34 crore) while the remaining Rs 2.30 crore was utilised for other expenses.
The MGCCL handed over the market to the District Horticulture Office at Ampati, which in turn handed over the market to the GHADC on the same day.
The management committee of the market was, however, constituted 30 months after the date of handing over.
According to the MoU, the GHADC was responsible for the allotment of stalls in consultation with the Meghalaya government. But the process in consultation with the department of Horticulture was not started till the month of the audit (September 2020).
The report also said that the department failed to inquire about the delay in the allotment. The GHADC confirmed on October 13, 2020, that the market remained non-functional but did not furnish any reasons for the delay.
In order to ascertain the present status of the market complex, a joint physical verification was conducted with the district horticulture officer concerned on December 22, 2021. It was noted that the stalls continued to be unallocated, defeating the objective of the project.
