Himachal IPH to outsource detailed project reports: Kaul Singh

Shimla, Mar 14 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Minister Kaul Singh Thakur today said the government was considering a proposal to prepare detailed project reports (DPRs) through outsourcing.

Replying to a question by Karam Dev Dharmani (BJP) during the Question Hour, he said 878 DPRs were to be prepared from 2003 to 2006, out of which 481 were prepared and only 226 approved by the NABARD, while 397 DPRs were yet to be approved.

Mr Thakur said the DPRs of schemes estimated to be in hundred thousand crore would be prepared through outsourcing, while ruling out the possibility to outsource DPRs of small schemes.

Vijay Singh Mankotia (Congress) however, argued that the DPR was the Annual Confidential Report (ACR) of the IPH department, adding that below 50 per cent success rate in submitting DPRs was surprising and reflected poor functioning of the department.

The IPH minister admitted that the department was slow in preparing the DPRs and assured steps were being taken to remove objections on priority basis to expedite the finalisation of the DPRs.

Transport Minister GS Bali informed the house that six Volvo buses have been taken on lease and two Volvo buses have been purchased by the HRTC that has earned a net profit of Rs 1.86 crore.

The system of wet leasing of buses was transparent and anybody can apply by bidding for the open tenders, he said, adding that wet leasing of private buses was cheap to the corporation and saved around Rs seven per km.

Noisy scenes were witnessed in the House after he termed the BJP cell as ''Misinformation Cell'', prompting sharp reaction for the BJP ranks.

UNI AS HS PR KN2011