Road construction in flood-affected Bihar a complete failure: CAG

Patna, Mar 26 (UNI) Only eleven per cent of road network could be built in the flood-ravaged districts of Bihar during the past five years, the annual report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Of India for 2006-07 revealed here today.

Holding 'complete failure of internal control mechanism' and large scale corruption as the root cause for the deplorable situation, Principal Accountant General (Audit) of Bihar, Arun Kumar Singh, the government's claim that the supply of bitumen, the main ingredient for road construction, was inadequate from the main supplier- Indian Oil Corporation.

An efficient road network maximises economic and social benefits and facilitating transportation of goods and services, the CAG report said and pointed out that as a result of lack of proper planning and ineffective execution of work only eleven per cent of work was completed between 2002 and 2007.

Contract management was also weak as reflected in the award of work to bidders and as a result of total failure of the internal control mechanism, no or very little bitumen was lifted from the IOC, Mr Singh said.

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