HRI red flags cancellation of PMGSY-III Batch-I
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, March 09 2025: Human Rights Initiative (HRI) has submitted a memorandum to Governor Ajay Kumar.

Bhalla demanding punishment of officials of Manipur State Rural Roads Development Agency (MSRRDA) responsible for cancellation of the PMGSY-III Batch-I of 2023 2024 and involvement in alleged malpractices in implementing PMGSY scheme in Manipur.

The memorandum signed by HRI administrator Thokchom Manoj Meitei pointed out that Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) is a government programme launched in 2000 to provide all-weather roads to unconnected villages.

As a part of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS), 56 works were sanctioned under PMGSY-III Batch-I of 2023-2024 on March 07, 2024, he informed.

According to PMGSY operational manual, a project should be awarded within of 71 days from the date of sanction and completion of entire tendering process within the timeframe by the SRRDA concerned i.e., MSRRDA (Manipur State Rural Roads Development Agency) and the project completed wit-hip 12 months.

However, after 189 days since sanction of the PMGSY-3 Batch-I, MSRRDA started inviting NIT (Notice inviting Tenders) from interested eligible contractors on September 12, 2024.Despite the late invitation of NIT, the tenders were cancelled by the tender inviting authority i.e., MSRRDA chief engineer on December 11, 2024 without providing a specific reason for the cancellation.

On enquiry, it came to light that the tenders of PMGSY 3, Batch-I were cancelled because of a complaint filed by All Manipur Contractors' Association Forum alleging the tender inviting authority of manipulating PMGSY's prescribed Standard Bidding Documents (SDB) in many areas and incorporation of additional clauses which are not mandated in PMGSY guidelines.

The unauthorised added clauses/ points by the authority of MSRRDA clearly indicated a vested motive to exclude the local contractors from the tender process, which is against the basic foundation of PMGSY scheme, he elaborated.

While cancelling the tenders, there is huge loss of money for all the participating bidders and extending tendering time will affect cost factors of all the materials which will lead to compromise of road quality, the memorandum added.

As per the new guidelines of the maintenance works of PMGSY scheme, the ministry advised strictly to use mandatorily a Monitoring & Payment system called EMARG, he explained, while alleging that there are many cases where the guidelines have been severely violated by MSRRDA regarding the maintenance payments as per the online reports.

The memorandum further demanded to fix responsibilities on the officials .involved for violating PMGSY Guidelines, fix responsible for manipulating the Standard Bidding Documents (SBD) prescribed by the Ministry and also to check the capabilities of the present officials of MSRRDA to execute PMGSY scheme as per the guidelines.

He further urged to shift PMGSY scheme and handover the same to other engineering department in the state like PWD to save the scheme in the state before becoming a scam.

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