Performance Audit on the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, Ministry of Tourism

निष्कर्ष

1. स्वीकृत 76 परियोजनाओं में से एक भी निर्धारित समय में पूरी नहीं हुई। विस्तार से जाँची गई 14 में से आठ 22 से 47 माह की देरी से पूरी हुईं और छह तब भी अपूर्ण थीं।

   “Out of 76 projects sanctioned by the Ministry, no project was completed within the stipulated time frame. In selected 14 projects, it was noticed that eight projects were completed with delays ranging from 22 months to 47 months and six projects were yet to be completed, despite considerable delay.”Executive Summary

2. योजना योजना आयोग और वित्त मंत्रालय की आपत्तियों के बावजूद, और बिना किसी व्यवहार्यता अध्ययन के शुरू की गई — जिसे लेखापरीक्षा सीधे ख़राब स्थल-चयन, देरी और अव्ययित निधियों से जोड़ती है।

   “The Ministry launched the Scheme despite objection of the Planning Commission/Ministry of Finance and did not act upon the recommendation of the Standing Finance Committee to formulate an Umbrella scheme by merging the schemes having overlapping objectives… The Ministry formulated the Scheme without conducting any feasibility study. Non-preparation of the feasibility report resulted in poor identification of sites and deficiencies in execution of projects, such as delay in completion of the projects and non-utilisation of funds.”Executive Summary

3. ₹500 करोड़ के परिव्यय से शुरू हुई योजना में मंत्रालय ने 2016-17 तक ₹4,000 करोड़ से अधिक स्वीकृत कर दिए, और वह भी मंत्रिमंडल की मंज़ूरी के बिना, जो ₹1,000 करोड़ से ऊपर आवश्यक है।

   “After launching the Scheme with an initial outlay of ₹500 crore, the Ministry continued to sanction projects and the amount sanctioned had exceeded ₹4,000 crore by 2016-17. The Ministry sanctioned funds without obtaining approval of the Cabinet, which was necessary for sanctioning projects costing above ₹1,000 crore.”Executive Summary

4. शुरुआत से पहले न कोई राष्ट्रीय योजना बनी न राज्य योजना, और जिन विस्तृत परिप्रेक्ष्य योजनाओं के आधार पर परियोजनाएँ चुनी जानी थीं वे 15 में से 14 परिपथों के लिए कभी बनीं ही नहीं; अगस्त 2020 तक योजना की कार्य-पद्धति 15 बार बदली गई।

   “There was lack of proper planning on the part of the Ministry as it did not ensure preparation of National or State level Plan before launching the Scheme. After the launch of the Scheme also, it did not ensure preparation of Detailed Perspective Plans (DPP) for 14 out of 15 tourist circuits/themes, which were to form the basis of selection of projects and preparation of Detailed Project Reports. Thus, the Ministry did not have any long-term vision/policy for implementing the Scheme. Further, frequent changes were made in the modalities of the Scheme and a total of 15 revisions were made till August 2020.”Executive Summary

5. जाँची गई सभी 14 परियोजना रिपोर्टें अपूर्ण थीं — स्थल सर्वेक्षण के बिना बनीं, उनमें ऐसे स्थल शामिल थे जिनकी भूमि या मंज़ूरियाँ नहीं थीं, और उनमें न पर्यटक यातायात सर्वेक्षण था, न अंतर-विश्लेषण, न विस्तृत अनुमान, न रखरखाव योजना।

   “In all the 14 selected projects, there were deficiencies in the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), such as preparation of DPR without site survey, inclusion of sites without land and other clearances, tourist traffic survey, infrastructure gap analysis, detailed estimates and bills of quantities, operation and maintenance plan etc.”Executive Summary

6. पैसा जारी करने से पहले भूमि की उपलब्धता कभी जाँची ही नहीं गई, इसलिए 14 में से 13 परियोजनाओं में 149 घटक — यानी 15.07 प्रतिशत — स्वीकृति के 35 से 69 माह बाद हटाने पड़े।

   “The Ministry sanctioned projects and released funds to the concerned State Governments based on an undertaking given by them in the Detailed Project Reports to provide encumbrance-free land. However, actual availability of land was not ensured before release of funds. As a result, in 13 of the 14 selected projects, the Ministry had to drop 149 components (15.07 per cent) after 35 months to 69 months from the date of sanction.”Executive Summary

7. कार्य 11 से 58 माह की देरी से आवंटित हुए, कुछ आवश्यक स्वीकृतियों के बिना, कुछ बिना किसी निविदा के और कुछ नामांकन के आधार पर।

   “There were delays ranging from 11 months to 58 months in the award of works by the State Governments in the selected 14 projects. Further, there were irregularities in award of works by the State Governments, such as award of work without relevant sanctions, award of work without tendering, or on nomination basis.”Executive Summary

8. अनियमित भुगतान और जुटान अग्रिम के ज़रिये ठेकेदारों को ₹19.73 करोड़ का अनुचित लाभ मिला, और राज्यों ने योजना निधि के ₹51.56 करोड़ व्यर्थ, अधिक, निष्फल या अस्वीकार्य रूप से ख़र्च किए।

   “There was undue benefit to contractors amounting to ₹19.73 crore on account of irregular payment to contractors and grant of mobilisation advance. Further, the State Governments incurred wasteful/excess/unfruitful/inadmissible expenditure of ₹51.56 crore from the Scheme funds.”Executive Summary

9. पाँच साढ़े वर्ष से अधिक समय तक अलग ब्याज-युक्त खाते खोलने के निर्देश जारी ही नहीं हुए; 13 में से 10 राज्यों ने योजना निधि पर अर्जित ₹50.06 करोड़ ब्याज कभी नहीं भेजा, और 76 में से 47 परियोजनाओं में उपयोगिता प्रमाणपत्र देर से आए या आए ही नहीं।

   “The Ministry did not issue instructions to the States for opening of separate bank accounts for more than five and half years since the launch of the Scheme. As a result, many State Governments did not open interest-bearing accounts, thus causing loss of interest to the exchequer. Further, 10 out of the 13 selected States did not remit the interest of ₹50.06 crore earned on the Scheme funds to the Ministry. Also, there was delay/non-submission of Utilisation Certificates by the State Governments in 47 out of total 76 projects.”Executive Summary

10. शीर्ष राष्ट्रीय संचालन समिति जनवरी 2015 से मार्च 2022 के बीच अपेक्षित 29 बैठकों के मुक़ाबले छह बार मिली, और जो बना उसके रखरखाव की कोई व्यवस्था नहीं हुई — बनी सुविधाएँ अप्रयुक्त और अवसंरचना क्षरित मिली।

    “However, only six meetings of the National Steering Committee were held since inception (January 2015) of the Scheme till March 2022 as against 29 meetings required to be held… Site inspection revealed that no arrangements for effective upkeep and maintenance of assets were made. There were instances of created facilities not being put into operation, deterioration of infrastructure due to lack of proper maintenance and other irregularities.”Executive Summary

11. 15 विषयों में से एक ग्रामीण परिपथ को मार्च 2022 तक ₹30.84 करोड़ मिले — यानी योजना के कुल व्यय का 0.73 प्रतिशत।

    “The Ministry did not pay adequate attention to the development of the Rural circuit. As on 31 March 2022, the total expenditure incurred under Rural circuit was only ₹30.84 crore, which constituted only 0.73 per cent of the total expenditure incurred under the Scheme.”Executive Summary

इस रिपोर्ट को उद्धृत करने वाले फ़ैक्ट-चेक

• ✕लेखापरीक्षा से समर्थित नहींभाजपा मानती है कि पर्यटन क्षेत्र को वृद्धि के लिए एक स्पष्ट योजना चाहिए, और भाजपा विषय-आधारित तथा किफ़ायती 50 पर्यटन परिपथ बनाने की मिशन-मोड परियोजना शुरू करने के लिए प्रतिबद्ध है… इससे प्रत्येक पर्यटन परिपथ के आसपास अवसंरचना और रोज़गार का निर्माण होगा।